Healing Hands
by CurlytheDwarf
Summary: Noelle Norris is a young woman with fibromyalgia who discovers that she has the power to control atoms. She is commissioned to work for the mysterious organization S.H.I.E.L.D. as the healer for their special operations team, the Avengers. She and the team must work together to defeat Loki and save the world from destruction. ** Now includes Healing Hands 2: Rites of Passage
1. Chapter 1

UPDATE 8/8/17:

Y'all we are at 2,500 views and I'm maybe crying? It's not a lot to some, but I never thought this would get above 10 views. I'd like to do something fun for 3,000, but this requires you to comment (which is apparently hella difficult for some of you. Promise, I don't bite)! So, comment your favorite moment in the story OR something you'd like to see in the next story. If you do, I'll write you a short with your choice of powers and an interaction of your choice with Noelle! Thanks for following! -Curly

update 6/8 - I had a commission done and they did AMAZING. Check out the cover photo or search it under Aura or Noelle on Tumblr!

Hey everyone! I had uploaded the first 9 chapter previously, but then went on a LOOONNNNGGGGGG hiatus. Here is the new and improved Healing Hands! Enjoy!

CHAPTER 1

The form beneath her hands squirmed and moaned, gritting its teeth in agony. "I'm almost done, you can do it", Noelle whispered encouragingly. It had been hours of tireless work, and she was proud of both herself and the patient for making it this far. With her eyes closed, she concentrated harder, throwing her last bit of strength into forcing her will on the stubbornness that resisted her. Finally, she felt the storm of energy beneath her calm and quiet. When she opened her eyes, she found the older woman staring at her with concern.

"Is it over?" She asked.

Noelle cracked a tired smile, "You made it through. If you'd like to be certain, we've set up a CT scanner and X-ray down the hall. But from what I can see, you can go tell that doctor to shove that 'three weeks to live crap' where the sun don't shine."

The woman stared at her in wonder, tears that had been brimming now beginning to spill over. "I can never thank you enough" she choked out, hugging her healer.

Noelle winced, the contact feeling like daggers. She slowly pried the woman off and looked at her with a serious face, "I appreciate that." She began to crack a smile." But I'm trying to figure out why you're still here with me. Your grandkids have lots of plans for you I'm sure."

"Yes, yes, I'll go now!" She began to grab her things hastily. Noelle walked to the counter and began collecting her own things, turning her back so the patient wouldn't hug her again. As the woman opened the door to leave, Noelle called over her shoulder, "And Ms. Lee.. Don't forget this is our little secret."

She sensed the nod of agreement given, and then her patient was gone.

She sank into her chair, letting every ounce of tension go. Her sessions didn't usually last that long, but the cancer had been in almost every major organ the woman possessed. The doctor had it wrong, that woman barely had three days to live, let alone three weeks, she thought. After the most allowable time had passed, Noelle called out to the attending nurse.

"Yes, dear?" Said the plump, older nurse as she came in the room. The woman had a deep southern accent, but it couldn't hide her quick wit or intelligence.

"I'm going to need help getting home. Could you call me a taxi and have one of your girls wheel me down to the entrance? I don't have any energy left in these old bones."

She was thankful when Betty simply smiled and nodded. After 40 years as a nurse, 2 of them spent working closely with this particular healer, she knew that Noelle wasn't kidding when she said she needed that much help. She had practically become a second mother to the poor girl, seeing that neither of them had any family left to speak of.

Noelle heard the orders given and then carried out by the girls at the desk, one calling the taxi and the other bringing the wheelchair. A haze began to settle into her mind, slurring her thoughts. Quite literally before she knew it, the taxi was pulling up in front of her apartment. "That'll be $2.50 ma'am." Noelle continued to stare blankly out the window.

The cabbie coughed expectantly. It was only after the awkwardness became tangible that Noelle suddenly looked at him.

"What?"

"I said, that'll be $2.50." She rammed her hand into her pocket, fishing for the five dollars Nurse Betty had tucked there. The cabbie continued on, ".. And not to step on toes, but I'd say that having me drive you around the block seems like a waste of your money. Not judging, just ya know, seems unnecessary". Noelle didn't have the energy to explain herself, so she tossed him the five and muttered for him to keep the change as she stepped out of the cab.

After stumbling up the stairs almost drunkenly (she was still not sure how she'd managed to take them for two whole flights), she finally reached her door. She put her hand up to the lock before realizing she had yet to actually get her keys out. Dumb. Another battle with her pockets produced them, and she turned the lock. She stepped into her apartment and headed straight for the bed. Food and a shower probably should have come first, but those took energy that she didn't have. Throwing off her clothes, she threw her naked body onto the bed. She slipped slowly into a hard sleep, feeling the warmth her body created on the cold sheets.

The first thing her consciousness told her was that she had to pee. The second thing it said was that her neighbors were all in their apartments, except for 4b. 4b worked night shifts at the hospital until 3 am. But since 2a was home, who was a taxi driver and left his shift at midnight, and the night guard in 1c was only just now moving around before his shift at 2, Noelle guessed it to be about 1 am, though she wasn't sure what day. She allowed her mind's eye to openly "see" everyone in the building. Years ago it had scared her to wake up and see the lights of the people around her, their "auras" glowing in brilliant colors. She had grown to find it comforting. Tonight, she saw almost everyone as yellow, which meant that they were safe and at peace. Sleeping usually did that to people. Not her, but regular people. But a subtle blue in one yellow figure called her attention. The figure it rested in tossed more than the others. She focused harder and, like adjusting the focus of a microscope, realized that 3c had sprained his wrist. Focusing her "microscope" again, she found the injured cells. Allowing her energy to flow out like tender hands, she worked the cells back to health. After several minutes, the blue light faded to yellow. The figure quit squirming.

Knowing her wards were safe, she tried to crack her eyes open, but they resisted. She wrestled with them, threatening to rip them off, before they finally listened to her and allowed her to open them. The world seemed different. It took several seconds to orient herself. She lay on her bed, having tossed and turned in her sleep so much that she lay on her back with her head at the foot of the bed and all the covers wrapped around her left leg. So much for peaceful sleep, she complained to herself. Glancing to the side, she saw that the clock read 1:30 a.m. The urinary discomfort had grown so that she was fully awake. It was time to do the unthinkable: stand up. She rolled off the bed as shamelessly as possible and brought her feet, and the blankets trapping them, to the floor. Her sense of her own body showed that her jello-legs shone a bright orange, and the feelings they produced proved that to be true. She tried to help her own cells, but only the surface of the pain reduced. I always wanted to go as a giant Cheeto for Halloween. She snorted at her own humor before realizing no one else could see the orange. Well, at least I know I'm hilarious.

After a bathroom trip and shower, her stomach decided food was the new top priority. No food in the house was safe. She was like a whirlwind through the kitchen, making a bowl of macaroni, 2 packages of Ramen, chicken fingers, and a baked potato. She ate one while she prepared the next, and before she knew it the hole in her stomach was filled. But she made and ate one more macaroni cup, just to be sure. Now that she was back in bed with a clean body and full stomach, and with her own aura having cooled down to a slight blue, everything was at peace. Rolling to her side, she grabbed her phone. Her calendar showed that it was a day after she had healed Ms. Lee's cancer. She knew that Nurse Betty understood that her recovery time would be longer, but she still felt bad being away from the hospital that long. Before she let the guilt take hold, she pushed away the thoughts of the potential patients she left behind. She was no good if she wore herself out. Fibromyalgia made sure of that. But with enough time and rest she'd be able to help again. With that thought in mind, she settled into bed. Closing her eyes, she prayed for sleep. She let her awareness spread and began to count her neighbors: 1a, 1b, 1c, 2b… 2c…


	2. Chapter 2-5

CHAPTER 2

Noelle snuggled into her scarf and grasped her coffee. The walk to the hospital was a brief one, but the weather was cold enough for her to experience it. Little Rock was beginning to enter winter, and the winds decided to remind it of that fact by coming out in full force. When she finally burst into the hospital lobby, she felt like she'd never be warm again. As she walked to the elevator, the auras of the hospital engulfed her. Like a hundred stars in a hundred colors, they shone. But she had learned long ago that she must avoid discovering what each star needed. Fibromyalgia wracked her own body; leaving her drained after regular activities, let alone healing a person. If she tried to heal all of them it would kill her. That was why they only sent her the most deadly cases. While she was happy to be able to help others, her powers invaded her every thought. Being able to sense people within 100 feet… She was never alone. And being able to sense their pain was even worse. She almost sprinted to the elevator to escape them. Thankfully, part of her deal with the hospital was that she could use the lowest basement floors to work in, which was far enough down that it blocked out most of the auras from view.

In the reflection of the elevator she could see herself. Standing 5 foot 4 and slightly overweight, she was by no means a model. In fact, she was very ordinary in almost every way. Brown eyes, some freckles. What made her stand out though, was the mop of brown, curly hair piled on her head. She kept it long, past her shoulders, and was constantly wishing she didn't. While many thought the thick, spiraling curls were beautiful, she was quick to remind them that they weren't the ones who had to wash it. Or God forbid.. Brush it. Today was no exception to it's crazy tendencies; the wind having swept it in every direction possible. As the elevator dinged onto her floor, she quickly ran her fingers through it as much as possible.

When the door opened, her second home spread before her. The basement wing she had been given had three observation rooms on the right, to the left lay the CT scan room, and the nurses station sat in the middle. She could sense her nurses before she saw them. Nurse Betty poked her head from behind the desk at the sound of the elevator. "Well, look who's back from the dead. Glad to know miracles happen."The concern was heavy through her voice, though she tried to sound playful. "Surely you're not back for work yet?"

Noelle smiled, "You know me, glutton for punishment. Do we have any new cases?"

Nurse Betty frowned, "No, you've healed just about everyone with serious issues in this state and the next. But a man and woman in suits came to see you. Said they were from the hospital board or something. I tried to send them away but they were persistent.I told them to wait for you in the 3rd observation room."

Noelle focused her mind on the room and realized that she had been wrong, the figures there was not her nurses. The two beamed yellow light, like all the other healthy ones, but had a distinctly different outline than any she knew. Taking a deep breath, she made her way into the room.

Behind the door she found an average white man, probably in his late 30s, staring intently at her chart of "The Cell". Beside him was a woman, who's suit made no attempt to hide how toned she was, sitting on the table. The woman turned her attention to her immediately. "You must be Noelle." She stood, towering over the short girl in her heels. The intimidatingly beautiful woman stuck out her hand. "I'm Agent Romanoff." They shook hands, Noelle trying to seem as unintimidated as she could. The man turned to her and stuck out his hand. "Agent Coulson." Noelle wished they were wearing name tags. She was usually awful at names, and being nervous didn't help that. The man continued, "We've heard a lot about you, and.."

"Wait, how have you heard of me?", Noelle interrupted. "People have signed agreements that states they will never mention my name. Tell me who it was. Who else have they told?" Noelle was getting angry. She had been very explicit with every patient and doctor she had encountered, going so far as to having them sign agreements. She had even threatened many of them to unheal them if they spoke, though she knew it was a bluff. Her mind raced.

"What Agent Coulson means," said Romanoff, giving him a sideways glance, "is that we've read the hospital reports. Our organization specializes in obtaining information that others aren't aware of, and the "miracle hospital" that cures cancer got our attention. Only 20 deaths a year, and only those suffering from brain complications… it's impressive."

Noelle fidgeted. She knew the hospital was known for being impressive, but there should have been no trace of her. She didn't even get an actual salary.

Agent Coulson began again, "Exactly. Tell us, Ms. Norris, how you managed such impressive records with no medical degree?"

Noelle squirmed. Clearly they knew much more than they should have.

Agent Coulson spoke again. "Noelle, you can trust us. We work with people like you to help them with their abilities. When we read about you, we knew we wanted to meet you. From our best guess, you have healing powers of some sort. We could use that at S.H.I.E.L.D."

Noelle began slowly, slightly overwhelmed at the conversation they were having. "What exactly are you offering?"

"We have a ship. A helicarrier. We'd offer you a wing, just like this. You'd be able to have your own nursing and doctor staff and any medical equipment you require. You'd have a room and self-contained living space attached to the hospital. Anything you need, we can offer it."

"Why? Who would I be required to heal?"

"Without saying too much,"Romanoff began, "We have a crew, soldiers, and a special operations team that we don't care to lose. You'd be free most of the time to roam your space. You're job would be to be on call in case of dire emergencies that our doctors can't fix."

Noelle was now very overwhelmed. Her mind raced; her mouth catching on to one of the many questions she had. "How big would my space be?"

"Your rooms would be on the far end of the ship and contain two floors, one for your rooms and one for the hospital. If you're asking for the sake of your powers, the hospital would be about 400 feet , and your rooms about half that."

Noelle couldn't speak. Her powers typically extended about 100 feet around her, so having that much room meant she wouldn't have to be bothered by the lights unless she had a patient. She couldn't even imagine it. No constant sense of others. No need to do anything but rest. Her fibro-based heart leapt for joy at the thought of it.

"It.." She struggled to find the words. "It seems too good to be true. But you should know that.. My own illnesses prevent me from doing many serious illnesses at once. I can only do about 3 patients a day before I have to quit. Broken bones and flesh wounds are easy, but fatal things take time. And I can't do anything involving brains..."

Romanoff looked at her affectionately. "We understand. And we don't plan on using you often. But after a scare some weeks ago we have been looking for someone like you."

Just as Noelle was getting swept up in the idea, she was pulled back by her own conscious. She couldn't ask her nurses to go with her. And she didn't want to leave them. And how could she rightfully place her own comfort over the lives of the thousands she had healed and would heal if she stayed at the hospital. Steeling herself, she said, "That sounds amazing, and I thank you so much for considering me. But you've seen my record here. How many people I've healed. And I can't leave my nurses, they've done too much for me." She thought specifically of Betty. The woman had cared for her as if she was her own daughter from the beginning. "I think I'm needed here. There's still so many to heal. People from all over the country are sent to me, and I can't let them down."

The two agents looked crushed by her words, but nodded understandingly. Coulson was the first to speak. "I know you care for your patients. But our job is to care for the entire planet, think of how many more people you would save by helping our team."

"I'm sorry. But I just can't bring myself to leave this place. It's become my home." Noelle felt glad at the thought, mentally checking on Ms. Betty as she said it. "If you ever have a serious emergency, please feel free to come here. But I just can't leave. I'm sorry." Her own heart fell at the thought of giving up the possibility to devote time to her own healing, but she really did think of this as her home thanks to her team.

The agents nodded. "I understand. Please let us know if you change your mind, you are always welcome to join us." Agent Coulson handed her a card. The two walked out the door and to the elevator, waving goodbye to Nurse Betty. And then they were gone.

Noelle came out from the room, but didn't make it far. "Girl, you look like someone gave you an electric shock. What happened in there?"

Noelle smiled at her friend. "I just turned down the offer of a lifetime." She gave her friend one of her teasing faces. "You'd better be worth it."

CHAPTER 3

Weeks had passed since the agents' visit. Noelle had kept busy in her routine: heal a patient, rest until the next one. The most recent patient had been a real piece of work. A young mother of two, whose ex husband had tried to kill her by setting her house on fire. She was burned from head to toe and her lungs were destroyed from smoke inhalation. Had she not been a fighter, Noelle may never have been able to keep her alive. After a solid week of healing, the woman would not only live but show little to no scarring. But that week had put Noelle in bed for three times as long. It took her 3 days just to wake up for anything other than a quick snack and bathroom break. It was now Monday of week four, and Noelle wondered why the nurses hadn't called with any new patients. Two weeks was the longest she had been, and this was twice that. Forcing herself to her feet, she felt her body groan. The yoga and rest had helped, but she still felt soreness in every joint. She used her powers to reach into the aching spots to try to relieve them, but because it was her brain and not her muscles that sent the pain signals, she could do little. She pulled on her favorite outfit: a short black dress, purple leggings, and knee high rider boots. Comfortable and easy to move in had been her only way to dress for as long as she could remember. Grabbing an apple from the counter, she put on her coat and scarf and headed for the hospital.

Like every time before, she made her mad dash for the elevator. She had stopped caring how crazy she looked long ago. On the ride down she focused on the numbers changing, trying to block out as many of the lights as possible. Two floors before her own she began to scope out her wing. Focusing in, she found only a solitary figure: yellow in color, except a dark purple spot in the head. Noelle gulped. It must be an accident. Every doctor in the building knew that brain issues were the one thing she couldn't touch. She began to panic, not looking forward to the conversation she was about to have. Disappointing others was her biggest fear, and her powers had seen to it that she did it often. Having to turn another away made her feel worse than anything fibro could do to her. She closed her eyes as the elevator doors began to open, steeling herself.

When she opened her eyes, she was surprised to see not a random patient, but Nurse Betty standing in front of her. Her brain fogged, and she became confused. Her mind had trouble connecting the aura figure with the beloved friend before her. As she stepped off the elevator, the nurse turned towards her. It wasn't until she saw Betty's eyes well with tears that it finally connected. They ran into each other's arms, both now sobbing. "I'm so sorry, I was going to call you to tell you but I just couldn't bring myself to it", Betty choked through her tears.

Noelle couldn't speak. She hated hugs and she hated to cry. But now she wept openly, using her friend to keep her standing. After several minutes had passed, she stepped back, finally calming down enough to speak. "How long have you known?" She could hear how pathetic her voice sounded.

"About a week. I felt funny for a few days, so I went up to my old doctor. When he did a scan, he found it. Tests came back that it's cancerous." The woman looked sad, but with a steel in her eyes. "I've been in the business long enough to know what that means, and I'm not having any part of that chemo. I've been finishing up business here so that when my time comes, the next nurse can start fresh."

Noelle almost began crying again at the thought. There was no one in her mind that could take this woman's place. As her mind filled with sorrow, the nurse spoke again. "Noelle, you're the daughter I never had. And I've watched all the good work you've done for everyone else over the years. But now I've gotta ask you to do something for me."

"Anything Ms. Betty, you name it."

"I want you to kill me." Noelle looked for the hint of teasing she usually found in the woman's face, but only found determination.

"I… I can't do that."

"You can and you will. The doctor only gave me a few weeks to live, and I've seen patients like me. The last few days are pure agony. I've got no family left besides you, and it's you that I want by my side when I pass." Noelle stared in horror. She had always known her powers had the potential to kill, but she had never done it to a human before on purpose. And she certainly didn't think she could watch her loved one die, not again. Not by her powers.

The nurse could obviously see her struggle written on her face. Her own softened. "I know it's asking a lot, but I don't want my last days on earth to strip me of my pride. I want to go out with dignity." Noelle nodded slowly. She knew that what she asked for was best, but she wished it didn't have to be her that had to do it.

She began to cry again, leaning one more time into her friend. "Oh Betty, what am I going to do without you?"

The plump woman enveloped her in a hug. "I wouldn't like you if you weren't tough. You'll be fine."

A few days later the same two women sat in Betty's living room. Noelle sat in a chair, holding her friend's hand as she lay on the couch. After their first conversation about the cancer, Betty had gone down hill quickly. After only two days she had become confined to her house, and soon she was able only to lie on her couch. Noelle had been her constant companion and caretaker through it all. Noelle had kept the pain out of the rest of her body, but her brain now glowed red and purple. She felt helpless. Finally, they had decided it was time.

"I've decided the best way to do it is to stop your brain and your heart at the same time, that way it's not long and drawn out. A few seconds at most." She had put a lot of thought into it. While she couldn't fix the brain for fear of killing a person, she wasn't afraid to do it if the end result was supposed to be death.

"Sounds good dear." The woman looked peaceful. "Let's get this party started." There's the nurse Betty I know.

Noelle squeezed her hand and closed her eyes. She said a silent prayer for her friend. "Here I go…"

She stretched her hands over the two areas and they began to glow a faint black, making her hands look to be covered in fog. She focused on the aura of the woman, and mentally grabbed hold of the two vital organs she needed. One dark red and purple, almost black, the other a vibrant yellow that should have seen many more years. She began to slowly pull the light from them. The brain faded first to black...

The nurse shifted, feeling her life leave. She whispered, "Thank you… I am so glad to have been your friend."

Then to nothing. The heart followed soon after. The rest of the body's light shrank inwardly too, until none could be seen. Noelle dropped her hands and their light

Noelle whispered through tears, "I love you."

And with that, it was done.

CHAPTER 4

The funeral was a large, but somber affair. Nurse Betty had been a staple at the hospital for as long as anyone could remember, so the church pews were filled with as many of the doctors and nurses that could possibly be there. Noelle didn't attend. She really wasn't much for crying in public, and had cried every tear she had in her body over the past two days. And the idea of being in a crowded room… To her it would be like sitting on the sun. No thanks.

She had opted instead for her wing at the hospital. There, she was alone and could let her thoughts run wild. Sitting at the nurses' station, she ran her fingers over the picture of the two of them. Betty had forced her to take it a year ago, and the picture had been a constant resident of her desk since then. She stared down at their smiling faces. The other woman had helped so many people in her lifetime, never putting herself first. Memories flooded her mind, and it was several minutes before she looked up again. Suddenly, the wing didn't feel like home. It felt oppressive. It felt lonely and dark. I have to get out of here. Noelle slid the picture quickly from the frame and tucked it in her coat pocket. Then she bolted for the elevator, pressing the button multiple times as if it would come faster. The doors couldn't open fast enough and she pushed herself in. Once on the main floor she did a full on sprint for the door, even faster than her usual dash. She didn't stop running until she was in her apartment. Once inside, she began packing her bag.

She didn't know what to do. She knew that the hospital would never feel like home again. In fact, she knew she never wanted to step foot in it again. But she had no plan. She stuck her hand in her pocket, hoping the picture of Ms. Betty might come to life and make a snarky comment on how crazy she was acting. As she pulled it out, a second piece of paper fell to the ground. Noelle picked it up.

Agent Coulson

S.H.I.E.L.D.

555-8653

She paused. She had forgotten about her meeting with the strange agents so many weeks ago. But now it seemed that Betty was prodding her from the other side. She fished out her phone, then put it back down again. While one of her reasons to stay had become null, she still had to think of all her future patients. "our job is to care for the entire planet, think of how many more people you would save by helping our team". She hadn't watched much news lately, but she had seen the devastation that continually occurred. While she couldn't heal everyone, healing those in charge of helping everyone could mean more lives saved. Thousands more than she could ever hope to heal. She grabbed the phone again and dialed the number. Had it rang more than once, she might have lost her nerve, but a voice quickly responded on the other end.

"Agent Coulson here."

"Uh yes.. Uh.." Her mind scrambled to find words. She thought about just hanging up. "Um, this is Noelle Norris. You gave me your card."

"Ah Ms. Norris! Hope you're well. Have you changed your mind?"

She paused. Looking down at the picture in her hand, she suddenly became more bold. "I have, if you'll still have me."

"Excellent news! I will send a plane for you. How quickly can you be ready to leave?"

"As soon as possible." She wanted to be away from any memory of the emptiness. "But wait.. I need to sell my apartment I guess… And find a place to put my things. And I should probably tell the hospital. Oh no, what if the hospital won't let me leave?" Suddenly she realized she had way more to do.

"I'll get my agents right on that. All you need to do is pack your bags and be ready to leave by, say, 10 tomorrow morning? I'll send a car to your house to take you to the airport"

She couldn't believe it. She also couldn't believe how steady her voice sounded as she answered, "Perfect. I'll be ready."

The line went dead. She stood in shock, but sprang into action before she could talk herself out of it. She threw all her clothes into her bag, then ran to the bathroom and packed all her toiletries. Once she had the necessities, she began to pack more carefully. She threw in several of her favorite books, hoping she could talk Coulson into having his team bring her books onto the aircarrier. Aircarrier. She hadn't thought about it in the initial meeting, but now she wondered what they had been talking about. Surely she wouldn't be living on a military ship? She couldn't imagine what else it would be.

Finally, her bags were packed. She lay sprawled on her bed, exhausted from the taxing day. As she sat in her now half-filled room, she prayed that she was making the right choice. Too late to back out now.

The next morning she awoke to her alarm buzzing. Why did I set an alarm for 9? Then it occurred to her. She hopped out of bed and went to the shower. Her entire morning routine seemed different, almost vibrating with energy. It wasn't until she had finished getting dressed that she realized she hadn't checked on her neighbors. A mental count showed only 3 of them were home, and all were bright yellow all over. She wondered if they would be ok with her gone.

Glancing at her phone, she saw it was 10 on the dot. Crap. She grabbed her bags and ran for the door, sparing one last look at her home. Downstairs she was greeted by a familiar face. "Agent Romanoff!" She was proud of herself for remembering the name. "I didn't expect to see you."

The beautiful woman smiled. "I thought this might be easier for you if you had a friendly face."

Noelle glowed with gratitude. "Thank you." They loaded her bags into the black town car and climbed in. "I should have asked before, but what's going to happen to all my things?"

Agent Romanoff put the car in drive and merged with traffic. "We will have it all moved into your wing on the Helicarrier, unless you wish it to be moved to storage, which we would pay for of course. We have furniture on the ship already, unless you would rather bring yours."

Noelle paused. "I really don't have much. If I could just have my books brought on board, I'd be fine with everything else being stored."

Agent Romanoff pulled out her phone and relayed the information to someone on the other end.

Noelle's apartment wasn't far from the airport, a fact she was grateful for due to both her nerves and the flooding of auras. The more nervous she was, the less she was able to carry on a conversation. Well, a conversation that didn't make her sound like an idiot. To calm herself, she practiced the breathing she had learned in yoga years before. Breath in, hold, breath out, hold. Repeat. After a few she felt not only calmer but also was able to alleviate some of the pounding in her head brought on by the auras. After only a few minutes, they pulled off on the exit to the airport. Noelle was surprised when they didn't go into the normal flow of traffic, but instead went to a side gate. Agent Romanoff rolled her window down and flashed the guard her badge. He nodded and waved them through. On the other side, a large private jet awaited. Noelle couldn't believe when they pulled up in front of the behemoth. "Is that for me?" She said in awe.

Agent Romanoff smirked. "Nothing but the best for our team." A team of airport workers grabbed her bags and escorted her on to the plane, with Romanoff following behind. The inside was luxurious; way nicer than anything Noelle had ever seen. She sat down in a chair that felt like it had been sculpted for her. Agent Romanoff sat in a backwards-facing seat across from her, with a table between them. In no time at all, the cabin doors were locked and they were taking off.

"This is the way to fly", Noelle said, fully taking in her surroundings. She had always loved to fly, but this was better than any public airline.

"You'll love the Helicarrier then." Romanoff said with a smirk. She pulled out a bag from the overhead compartment. From it, she produced a laptop. "Now that you're one of us, I need to put you in the database." She saw the look of panic on Noelle's face. "Don't worry, we have the most secure system in the world. Everyone goes by code names. Even Tony Stark couldn't crack it."

Noelle didn't know the name, though it sounded familiar. "All right. What all do you need to know?"

"You're 21, born and raised in Arkansas. We already know your early history and time at the hospital. So tell me about your powers. What can you do?"

Noelle shrugged. "I don't know the best way to explain it. It's like I have two sets of eyes. One that sees you sitting here, and another. The other one sees people as light, or "auras" is what I call them. The auras come in different colors: yellow means the person is healthy, blue means a little pain, orange means serious discomfort, red means excruciating pain, purple means disease, and black means near death. But a person doesn't have to be all one color, the other colors can be nestled in each other. And I can zoom in, like a microscope. My second set of eyes are constantly seeing a 3D image of the world around me, and I can concentrate on a certain area or person. If I want to heal a person, I concentrate on the part of their body that has a different light, like blue, and it's almost as if the atoms themselves are yelling at me, telling me what's wrong. And they listen to me when I tell them to change."

Romanoff stared in wonder. "So you can manipulate atoms?"

Noelle nodded. "That's my best guess. But it only works on living things, like people, plants, and animals."

"Incredible", Romanoff said. She began to type on her computer. "So you can heal people. What about yourself? I saw in your file that you have Fibromyalgia. Why not heal yourself?"

At this, Noelle got a dark look across her face. She stared out the window. "I can't. I actually used to have Lupus and IBS as well, but those I fixed just by adjusting what was wrong. Fibromyalgia is different: it's in the brain. I can't heal brains. If I change the atoms in the brain, I change the person. Sometimes, even making atoms in the brain healthy can kill the person, just because it can't handle the change. I can't fix it."

Agent Romanoff stared at her. "That must be tough."

Noelle crossed her arms. "It's not easy. But the worst isn't me. It's having to turn away people who are going to die from brain diseases, just because I can't help them." Nurse Betty's face flashed in her memory and sent a chill through her.

"Ah, that explains the hospital records." Agent Romanoff began typing again.

"Yeah."

"What about other things for yourself? I've heard that atom manipulation can mean a lot of different abilities, like invisibility."

Noelle thought. It had been a long time since she had experimented with her powers. "From what I remember, I can become invisible, yes. But I also can change the way I look. I can't grow an extra arm or anything, but I can change my eye color, skin color, things like that. I can also throw energy, whether good or bad, at people. That ones pretty cool looking, my hands glow." To prove her point, she held up her right hand and it began to glow yellow. Agent Romanoff's granite face didn't change much, but her eyes betrayed her interest in it. Noelle halted the energy and put her hand back down. "Other than those things, I'm not that cool. I'm restricted by my fibro so I can't do much. Like I said in our first meeting, anything drastic takes a lot of time."

Agent Romanoff typed a few more sentences before looking at her. Her face remained passive, but her eyes seemed wary. "What about killing?"

Noelle froze. She was at a loss for words. Finally, she said, "I… there was an incident. When I first got my powers, I was confused and had no control over it. So I experimented on mice to figure out what I could do. I hated it; I could feel their pain. But I needed to know. Most of the experiments were about healing. Some focused on appearance. I turned one green. I turned one invisible. But some… Well I had to know." She shivered, gazing off into the distance again. "Like I said, anything with the brain leads to death. But I realized I can do a lot more damage than that. One poor rat I vaporized. Into nothing. Another one I turned his bones to mush. He lived, but it took days to repair him. Another one I snapped his neck, just by thinking about it. And another…" She looked at Romanoff. "I gave him cancer." Agent Romanoff was the queen of the poker face, but Noelle could see her mix of fear and amazement. She continued, "But I refuse to kill anymore. If you can see my files, then I'm sure you can see what happened to my family and have made your own connections. And after recent events, my decision is even more firm. I am here to heal, not kill."

Agent Romanoff finished typing and put her computer away. "I understand that. It does sound like you would be a great addition to our special operations team, but I respect that decision. I did hope though, that while you are with us you would allow me to teach you some skills to keep yourself protected. While you are safe with us, I have seen the fear in your eyes when you think people have found your secret. And you have a right to fear. If the wrong people found out, you'd have to use your powers to kill them. I'd like to give you other options."

Noelle nodded. "I refuse to fight, but I do accept the offer. You're right, I worry about that all the time."

Romanoff sat back and smiled. "Sounds like we've made a deal."

CHAPTER 5

The rest of the flight was mostly silent. Noelle sat and watched the world below go by, wondering what lay ahead. After a few hours, the pilot came on the speakers, telling them to prepare for landing. Noelle looked down, but instead of land she saw sea. She watched Romanoff, but as per usual she seemed calm and collected. Instead of beginning to descend, they continued at their same altitude. What the hell? Noelle's fingers gripped her seat so tight they burned. She sensed a large mass of auras ahead, but she couldn't make sense of it. Suddenly, a bump and the squealing of tires. Looking below, she saw they had landed on a strip.. In the air. Romanoff watched her, smiling. "Welcome to the Helicarrier, your new home." Noelle smiled, but soon winced in pain. There were so many auras.. It was so bright. And they all called to her. Romanoff noticed her pain. "Is it the auras?" Noelle nodded. "We will get you to your quarters as quickly as possible."

Noelle became more and more grateful for the woman as she was taken hastily below deck, into her quarters. After several minutes of near sprinting pace, the number of auras began to dissipate and Noelle slowed. Finally, they stopped at a door. "This is it." Romanoff said. The door had no handle, and Noelle assumed that the last few steps they took would cause the door to pop open. When nothing happened, she looked at Romanov questioningly. "Place your hand on the wall beside the door," Romanov pointed to a panel to the right. "Here." Noelle did as she said. She placed her hand on a panel beside the door and it popped open. "Neat." Inside, Noelle found what seemed to be heaven. There were four rooms, two on each side of a small hallway. The first room on the right was a small sitting area, with a couch, chairs, and tv. The second room turned out to be her bedroom, which was filled with modern, yet comfortable furniture. Across the hall from that was her bathroom, which she was delighted to find had a large soaking tub. The best room, in her opinion, was the first door to the left. Inside, she found wall to wall book shelves. She was delighted to see a section of her own books, as well as others. She wondered how they had gotten them so quickly, but didn't want to look a gift horse in the mouth. In the middle of the room was a hanging chair, perfect for reading. Her heart jumped at the idea of spending time here.

Agent Romanoff smiled at the look of wonder on her face. "I see that you've found your happy place. I'll leave you to settle in. All your bags are in your room, so you can unpack at will. As far as food goes, we can have dinner brought to your room or you are welcome to join us in the dining hall. I'll send someone for you at 5 to see what you need." And with that, Noelle was alone.

She spent the next several days unpacking, organizing, and orienting herself to her new home in the air. She taped the picture of herself and Betty beside her bookcase and gazed at it often while she read. She was immediately comfortable in her it had all the metal, mechanical workings of a typical aircraft carrier, they had gone the extra mile to ensure it didn't feel like a ship. It was still full of high tech surprises, but the decorator had taken great care to make it feel like a comfy apartment.

She took all her meals in her room, not able to bear the auras quite yet. But the threat of having to be around so many had caused her to restart her meditation practices. She had stopped them while at the hospital, focusing on her patients instead of herself. Now she had plenty of time to spend. When she had first realized she was developing powers, meditation had been her only way of understanding it and what she could do. While she hadn't learned anything new about her powers, she was able to concentrate enough to dim the few auras she could feel. At first, she had been worried that she was killing them, but she soon realized it was only her sight that changed. After some days of practice, she had even ventured from her room to test the new ability. The more auras there were, the more panicked she became. Thankfully, a few more attempts at it allowed her to calm them all. She almost cried with joy. She shouldn't keep it up forever, but it did allow her more mobility through the ship, and hoped that more practice would allow her more freedom once her job here was done.

She now sat cross legged on her yoga mat, concentrating on expanding her sight and dimming the auras she found. It was calming. It helped her to clear away the negatives of her past, at least for a few hours.

A knock at the door brought her into reality. When pushed the button and the door popped open, she found a man on the other side, dressed in a blue uniform. "Agent Romanoff has requested your company". She nodded, slipping on her shoes. It wasn't until after they had left that she realized her yoga leggings and tank top might not be appropriate. The man escorted her down the hall. As they walked, the lights grew in number. By the time they reached the elevator at the end, she was nearly blinded. Inside, she stood behind the man so she could collect herself. Closing her eyes, she breathed deeply. She concentrated and was able to quiet the buzzing of the auras and dim them so they weren't quite so bright. By the time the elevator doors opened again, she was able to appear like a normal human being instead of her usual cringing. In front of her, she found a familiar sight. A hospital wing. Nurses and doctors milled about, clearly the only patients they had were low maintenance. Noelle reached out with her powers as gingerly as possible. She found mostly yellow lights, but a few with blue and orange dots. With how few there were, she went ahead and healed them. It would save the doctors time, at least. Agent Romanoff came through the doors to their left. She had exchanged her business attire for a tight body suit, and Noelle didn't blame anybody for staring. She was gorgeous. Her bright reddish-orange hair and pale skin was a stark contrast to her dark outfit, but it only served to make her look even more beautiful.

"Glad to see you could join us." The agent turned to the man in blue. "That will be all, Charles." The man left and Romanoff turned her attention back to her. "I thought it might be time for you to see your hospital." The agent showed her around and introduced her to some of the doctors and nurses they passed. The two were an odd pair: one tall, fit, and looked like she could kill a man before he even knew he was in trouble, and the other looking as if she had been plucked from a refrigerator box in an alley. But it wasn't the contrast of appearance that garnered the staff's attention. Clearly they had been briefed on her powers and her role with them; they stared at her blatantly. Some looked in awe. Others looked as though she had murdered their mother. Could she really strike people with that much terror, even though they had seen her previous hospital record? She waved half-heartedly, wishing to leave. Thankfully, Agent Romanoff escorted her back to the elevator in a short time. Inside, Noelle let out a gust of air, not realizing she had been holding her breath. Agent Romanov pushed a button and the doors closed. Instead of pushing the button for Noelle's floor, she pushed one for the ground level.

"Where are we going now?" Noelle asked.

"It's time for your training to begin."

"Training?"

"Training." The doors opened to another hallway. As they walked, the agent asked, "How has your time been here?"

Noelle beamed. "Well I'm pretty sure this place flies because it's actually heaven." The woman laughed.

They rounded a corner and a set of giant doors appeared before them. They slid open and the pair walked through. A giant gymnasium opened before her. It had a track around it, and in the middle it had equipment for every type of exercise she could imagine. Romanoff lead her over to a boxing ring. "Um...sorry but what are we doing here?" Noelle had always wished she was more athletic, but the fibro had kept her from doing anything but light yoga. She was glad that she was wearing her yoga clothes now if she was supposed to exercise.

Agent Romanoff hopped into the ring and offered a hand to Noelle. "This is your training. You agreed, remember?"

Noelle scrambled up, much less gracefully than the other woman. "Yeah but I thought it would be like… A punch or something. This is a full scale boxing ring!"

Romanoff turned to face her, then slid off her boots and tossed them from the ring. Noelle did the same with her sandals. "If you're ever caught in a hand to hand combat, you're going to want to know more than just a punch. And like you said, you're powers might mean someone's death that you don't want to die. You need options." The agent gave a slight grin and Noelle could immediately tell she would not enjoy this. "So, let's get started."

The next few hours of Noelle's life were pure hell. Romanoff first tested her strength, then moved on to teaching her basic defensive moves. She had her practice getting out of every headlock, body grip, and pin imaginable. Just when Noelle was sure she would die, her teacher stopped her. "Excellent. That's great for a start. I'll give you tomorrow to rest, and then we'll continue your training the next day."

Noelle only nodded. She panted heavily, drenched in sweat and barely able to stand. The other woman looked as put together and calm as ever.

And so it began. Noelle's new routine was like Romanoff had said: a day of training, then a day of rest, then more training. During her off days, she relied heavily on meditation to right her powers. She continued to see improvement in her ability to dim the auras, as well as being able to throw out her consciousness farther. It now encompassed half of the ship. Her training days got steadily easier. While she was in no way a natural fighter, she became more confident in her ability to use means other than her powers to subdue enemies. She just hoped she would never have to use it. The two became well acquainted, moving to calling each other "Natasha" and "Noelle", though Noelle often slipped back into calling her "Agent Romanoff" when she was being particularly intimidating. Noelle didn't look forward to the ritual beatings, but she did enjoy the time they spent together.

Three weeks passed of this routine. Noelle could feel herself grow stronger. Her figure remained full, but a closer look showed muscle forming beneath. Today was a training day, so she made her way to the arena. She had somehow managed to finally memorize the hallways around her. When the doors opened, she didn't find Natasha. Instead she was surprised to see a young man dressed in blue. He walked towards her, and she noted that his face looked like it had been carved from granite. Sharp blue eyes stuck out from dark skin. "Ms. Nelson. Agent Romanoff sends her apologies, but she was called away on business." He showed no emotion as he talked. "I'm Lieutenant Johnson. She asked me to inform you that she was very sorry for the sudden interruption. I am also responsible for telling you that the ship will be landing tonight, so you should be prepared to brace yourself."

Noelle nodded, wondering if he had ever smiled in his life or if he was simply afraid of her like the hospital staff. "Thank you. Why are we landing?"

The officer's already tight face tightened even more. "I am sorry ma'am, but that is classified. Have a good day." He turned on his heel and nearly marched away. Noelle watched him go, smirking when she saw him trip slightly and interrupt his forceful walk. Once he was gone, she stared at the empty gym. She analyzed her own body and was surprised to find that she was actually ready to exercise. That's a first. She shook out her shoulders and walked over to some weights. She was surprised when the 10 pound weights felt light. She moved up weights until she was at 50 pounds. She was even more surprised when she made it through 15 reps before needing to switch hands. She knew her body had become stronger in the weeks of training, but this surprised her. While a person without fibro might have been able to do it easily, she felt proud of her accomplishment. The rest of her gym time continued that way, with surprise after surprise at what her body could do. After an hour, she returned to her room happy and excited for the progress she was making. As she changed into clean clothes, a voice came over the PA system. "Attention all crew: prepare to land in t-minus 10 minutes. Brace for impact on my mark." Noelle ran to one of the small port windows and realized they were much lower in the sky; the clouds so close she felt that she could touch them. She looked around her rooms for anything to "brace for impact", and after closing the shelves on her book case she deemed everything braced. She assumed that they must be landing for some event, so she spent the rest of the time putting on makeup and making sure she looked presentable. A knock on the door drew her attention. When she opened it, she saw nobody. On the ground was a note. "Meet me on the deck at 5:30". She only knew a handful of people on the ship, so she assumed it was from one of the agents. She hoped it meant Romanoff was back. The PA system interrupted her thoughts again. "Prepare for landing in 1 minute." Noelle ran to the window again. The clouds now hung above the ship and she could see the ocean below quickly approaching. Right before the ship touched the water, they hovered. Again, the loudspeaker crackled. "Beginning landing countdown. 15.. 14.. 13.." Noelle watched as some dolphins below swam away as quickly as their little fins would allow. "9..8...7.." She took one last look around to make sure her books would be safe. "3..2..1." A giant lurch and the ship was officially water-bound. "Touch down is done. We will be air born again at 190

0 hours this evening." Noelle glanced at the clock on the wall. 3:32. She had two hours before she was supposed to go to the deck, so she decided to kill time by visiting the hospital wing.

In the almost four weeks she had been on the ship, she had only made two visits, each time with Natasha. The second visit had meant less attention from the staff, but she still didn't feel comfortable enough in the wing to feel like she was any use. Now, she hoped to be able to at least heal one or two people for them. After all, it was her powers that afforded her the luxury of living here, she should at least try to use them. As the elevator doors opened, the hospital before her teemed with energy. She sensed several nearby whose auras had spots that were blue, orange, and even red. She began to be lost in a sea of light. Come on Noelle, get it together. After a few breaths, her mind was calm again and the lights were dimmed. She made her way towards the nurses' station. For a brief second she almost called out to Nurse Betty, but when a young woman's head popped up from behind the counter she realized her mistake. She felt a stab of longing, but suppressed it before she started to cry. "Yes, can I help you?" , the pretty nurse asked.

"Hi, I'm Noelle. I was just going to see if y'all needed any help with patients today?" She gave the woman a smile, and was glad when it was returned.

"Oh, it's so nice to meet you! I've heard all about you. I'm Lauren. I'll check our charts and see who we have." She brought up a holographic screen and swiped. Noelle watched as faces whizzed by, too fast for her to try to interpret the reversed writing beside them. "Ah, here's one that you would be a big help with." She reversed it so Noelle could see. A familiar face greeted her: the blue-eyed stern lieutenant from just a few hours ago. "Bryce Johnson. He came in with a severely broken leg. Said he was jostled during the landing and fell, but wasn't much more specific than that. The doctor was going to just reset it, but after looking at how many places it fractured in they are afraid they might have to go in for surgery. Does that sound like something for you?"

Noelle probed out with her mind gingerly, finding an aura a few rooms away whose leg was a bright red. The form wiggled in agony. Clearly whatever pain meds he was on weren't helping. Noelle wished it wasn't someone who clearly didn't want her here, but her will to help overcame her desire to say no. "Yes, if you'll take me to him I'll see what I can do." The nurse led her to the room where Noelle already knew the man was lying and opened the door. On the bed she found the man squirming in pain, but his body immediately straightened and his face hardened once he saw who was entering. The nurse explained to him that Noelle was here to help and then left to tell his doctor what was going on.

The two of them stared at each other. The man very clearly was uncomfortable thinking about her using her powers on him. Noelle hated the awkward tension. "No need to get up." She joked, chuckling and then quickly looking down when he remained as stoic as ever. She hated her own self for making the joke and wished she could make him un-hear it. Is "never being awkward" a superpower? If so I want to trade. She started again. "I guess you know about what I can do, I was hoping to help you if you'd let me. The nurse said it's a pretty bad break."

The lieutenant's eyes stared holes in the wall behind her head. After a few seconds of silence she saw his shoulders release some tension. "Fine. But I want you to tell me exactly what you're doing as you do it. I don't believe in magic or whatever it is you do, but I'd really appreciate keeping my leg."

Noelle bobbed her head and sat in the chair beside the bed. "Basically, I can tell your body to fix itself. I have to concentrate while I do it so I can't give you a play by play, but you'll be able to feel the bones fix as I do it. I'm sorry I can't explain it better, I mostly go by how I feel it, which doesn't compare to much. " His face hardened, but he nodded.

"Just try not to kill me I guess." Don't tempt me. She thrusted her hands over his leg and the glowed bright yellow. She saw his eyes widen and then set back to staring at the wall. She closed her eyes and focused on his leg that burned red. She concentrated and focused farther and farther in, until she found the atoms that made up his bones. While she didn't actually talk to them, she felt as if they had a conversation. They told her what was wrong and she told them how to fix it. She moved down his leg, telling the bones what to do. The yellow energy from her hands began to seep into him. She could see Johnson's aura shift in discomfort, but he didn't make a sound.

"Can you feel your bones moving?" she asked. She really didn't have much to tell him about what she was doing.

"Yeah. I'm also pretty sure you're making it hurt worse on purpose." Noelle chuckled and shook her head, feeling him relax just a bit. She focused back on his leg. The bone fragments had now been reconstructed, so she mentally pushed the separate parts back into each other. It was time consuming, but she ensured that each little fragmented piece went back in its rightful spot. Finally, the puzzle of bones fit back together. She did a mental scan of the rest of his leg and healed some of the muscles and tissue that had been distorted.

After she was positive his leg was done, she opened her eyes. She found his staring right back at her. "Well humpty dumpty, I hope you'll be more careful next time." This time, he actually returned her smile, though his was still hesitant. His eyes suddenly shifted behind her and grew stern again. Noelle turned too and found the entire hospital staff crowded at the door. Her face turned beet red. "Uh.. ta da?" The crowd chuckled.

A woman at the front stepped forward. "Hi, I'm Dr. Johnson, Mr. Johnson's doctor. Do you care if we do an x-ray so we can see what you did?" Noelle nodded and the doctor motioned at the crowd. Two nurses peeled off and went to go enact the orders. The doctor stepped to the bed and examined the leg.

"Remarkable, it looks almost healthier than the other leg! How did you do this?" Noelle glanced at Johnson and then back to the doctor.

"Oh, just found the right magic I guess." She saw him give a small smile out of the corner of her eye. The doctor looked at her strangely. Before she could say anything else, the two nurses came back and wheeled the lieutenant to the x-ray room. Noelle was thankful when most of the staff left when they did. She glanced at the clock at the wall and shot out of her chair. 5:15! "I'm sorry I have to go! Tell him that I'm sorry I had to leave, and thank you for letting me work on him!" She ran from the room and to the elevator, leaving a wake of staring physicians behind her.

 **Hey guys, I'd love it if you would comment whether you have a chronic illness and if you liked reading about a character who suffered from them. Let me know :)**


	3. Chapter 6-7

Noelle searched the deck for any familiar faces, but the glaring sun made it hard to see. The place was organized chaos, with dozens of workers running here and there. She walked around, bumping into one person after another. She had finally gotten her "air legs" after the weeks of flying and now the rocking of the waves made her look like a drunken fool. At least let me drink if I'm going to be swaying this much. Finally, she rounded a jet and saw a familiar face. "Natasha!". The woman and the man she was with turned towards her. Natasha waved her over. As she walked, she took in the stranger's face. He looked slightly familiar, but his typical american-boy blond hair and blue eyes could have been from anywhere. When she reached the pair, Agent Romanoff smiled at her. Noelle's favorite thing about her was that she hated hugs just as much as she did.

"Hey Noelle," she said. "Hope you enjoyed some rest while I was gone."

Noelle shook her head. "Actually, I surprised myself and put in some gym time on my own. I guess I just missed the beatings." Natasha laughed.

"Glad to hear it." She then gestured to the tall man. "This is Steve Rogers, but you might know him better as.."

"Captain America." Noelle interrupted as it suddenly clicked. "I've got your biography in my cabin."

Rogers looked at her with a mix of curiosity and judgement. "Seems fair. I've read your file."

She blushed slightly. "Sorry, I guess that probably sounds weird."

She saw his eyes lighten. "Well, apparently Coulson has my trading cards. Should I sign your book, too?" She laughed with him, glad that she wasn't the biggest fangirl there. Suddenly he glanced over her. "Dr. Banner!" She turned and found another half-familiar face. Dr. Banner, the monster who was a man. Or so the news had said. When she had heard of The Hulk, she wondered if she could cure him. As he made his way over, she examined his aura. It glowed yellow, but unlike everyone else that she had encountered it had a slight tint. Greenish-yellow. She concentrated harder and found his cells were unlike any she had ever seen. Most were the typical red, but there were several large, green ones that hummed with energy. She was unsure about what her powers would cause them to do, so she left the matter for a later time. She dimmed the auras around her and again returned to her company.

The two men shook hands. Dr. Banner was much more hesitant and flighty next to the stoic Rogers. "Oh… yes hi, they told me you would be coming."

Rogers nodded. "They told me you could find the cube." Noelle wondered why she has been left out of all this info being passed around so generously. Surely the healer in charge of them should have known.

Banner glanced around, fidgeting. "Is that the only word on me?"

The two exchanged a glance. "The only word I care about." Noelle noticed Banner's shoulders slightly relax and he shook his head. The two men turned towards the women.

Natasha nodded at the newcomer. "Bruce, nice to see you again." He nodded. "This is Noelle Norris, the healer. She will be in the hospital wing down the hall from your lab. If you ever find a way to get hurt, she'll be the one to fix it." Noelle smiled and shook his extended hand.

"I've seen you on TV", she said. "I'd love to talk with you sometime. Ever since I first saw you I wondered if my… 'abilities' would be able to help you in any way."

He looked at her curiously. "And what abilities would those be? I don't necessarily have a simple scrape to heal."

"It's.. hard to explain." Noelle glanced at Natasha and prodded her friend for help. "Would you mind making sure he sees my file?"

The agent nodded. "Will do. Now might be a good time. It's about to get a little hard to breathe." The two women smirked as the men looked around dumbfounded. Over the P.A. system came the call, "Flight crew, secure the deck." A siren began to buzz.

"Is this a submarine?" Noelle heard Rogers ask. The men walked towards the edge and the rest of their communication became lost in the sudden wind. The women chuckled as they stumbled back when the giant propellers emerged from the water. The four made their way to the elevator together as the giant ship took to the air. Once inside, they all did their best to comb out their disheveled hair, though Noelle knew hers was hopeless.

Natasha was the first to speak. "We will have a debriefing conference where we will discuss why the two of you," she nodded slightly to the men, "are here. Noelle, I know you aren't officially a part of this specialties team, but I hope that you will join us. Your input is just as important as theirs, and I think it's important you get to know the ones you might be saving."

"I agree. While I probably won't have much to say in regards to whatever this is, I do want to know who I'm saving.." Noelle hesitated. ".. and why they're getting hurt."

Natasha simply stared ahead. Noelle guessed she'd have to wait for the meeting to get answers. Luckily, she didn't have to wait long. The elevator doors opened into an office-like hallway and the four made their way through a set of doors. She was glad when she realized she was still in the zone for dimming auras, because when the doors swung open she was greeted with a control room full of people. A half-moon desk sat on the top floor, and a set of steps led to a lower level lined with computers. Each computer had a blue-suited person in front of it, monitoring and running some aspect of the ship. Noelle was amazed. So this is how they fly it.

A woman in the middle of the lower level caught her attention. "All engines operating", she said. "S.H.I.E.L.D. emergency protocol 193.6 is now in effect." She stood surrounded by screens, scanning both them and the people around her. She carried herself differently than the others: proud, unwavering, and never questioning whether her orders would be followed. She was clearly someone in high command.

To Noelle's left, she saw another impressive figure. A black trench coat covered an impressively tall man. He too stood surrounded by screens. "Good." Even his voice was intimidating. "Let's vanish." The woman below called out more orders, and Noelle assumed that their ship was now invisible to the outside world. The man turned, and Noelle noticed his eye patch. She allowed herself to concentrate on his aura, and was not surprised to see a blank hole where his eye should have been. Her curiosity peaked, and like with the Hulk, she wondered if she could fix him. She had never healed a body part that had died, but she had fixed her own eyesight as an experiment of her powers. The man greeted Steve, who slipped him what Noelle thought to be a ten dollar bill. Weird. He tucked it in his pocket as if nothing had happened and made his way to where Noelle and Banner stood. "Mrs. Norris, nice to see you up and around. I'm Nick Fury." She nodded at him.

"It's nice to be around, and a pleasure to meet you."

The man turned toward Banner. "Doctor, thank you for coming." The two shook hands.

Noelle saw Bruce squirm a bit. "Thanks for asking nicely." Noelle suddenly realized that Bruce, like herself, constantly dealt with people fearing him for his abilities. She sympathized with him, and suddenly became very glad that she, too, had been asked nicely. "So um, how long am I staying?", he asked.

"Once we get our hands on the Tesseract, you're in the wind." Noelle wondered what this 'Tesseract' was. How much did she not know?

Banner nodded. "And where are you on that?"

Noelle heard a familiar voice from below. "We're sweeping every wirelessly accessible camera on the planet. Cell phones, laptops. If it's connected to satellite it's eyes and ears for us. " Agent Coulson said. As he talked, she glanced down and found Natasha staring at one of the computers. Like many of the other computers, it showed a man's face and some standard information. The agent went over and crouched beside the screen. Noelle wondered why that particular man was so important. Was he the "bad guy" they were fighting? At this point, she wasn't even sure she wasn't helping the bad guys. Romanoff turned from the screen to Coulson.

"It's still not going to find them in time."

Beside her, Banner began to speak. "You have to narrow your field. How many spectrometers do you have access to?"

"How many are there?" Fury asked.

Noelle was surprised as the quiet doctor began to give orders. "Call every lab you know." He took off his coat. Well someone's getting excited. "Tell them to put the spectrometer on the roof and calibrate them for gamma rays. I'll rough out a tracking algorithm, basic cluster recognition. At least we could rule out a few places." Noelle noticed he had begun to roll up his sleeves. "Do you have somewhere for me to work?"

Fury gave a look to Natasha. "Agent Romanoff, could you show Dr. Banner to his laboratory, please?" The agent nodded walked to where Noelle stood with Banner.

"Noelle, why don't you come, too." Noelle nodded. Romanoff smirked at the now serious doctor. "You're gonna love it, Doc. We got all the toys."

In the elevator, Noelle glanced at Banner, who was calm again. But she could feel him humming with energy. "Dr. Banner, I don't want to be in the way, but do you care if I watch while you work? I've never seen a genius, and I've especially never seen one get so excited about spectrometers. I feel like I could learn a lot just from watching."

Banner shrugged his shoulders, but gave her a small smile. "Sure, but maybe let me read your file first. Don't want you to kill me once you get me alone."

From the look on his face she could tell that he was at least half kidding, which was better than the terror she was used to. She smiled back. "It's only fair." She paused. "But reading my file wouldn't stop me from killing you." They both grinned now, a silent acknowledgement that they understood what it was like to be feared. "Natasha, do you happen to have my file with you?"

The agent dug in a pouch on her belt and produced a phone. She threw up a holographic screen with Noelle's face on it, titled "The Healer", and handed it to Banner. "You're going to love this one."

The elevator doors opened and the three walked down the familiar hallway to the hospital while he read. Noelle stared at the floor as she walked, unsure of how the doctor was feeling about her now. After a few minutes, he handed the phone back to Natasha. "Well, you weren't kidding about killing me." They both chuckled. "But from the looks of that hospital record, I don't think you're in the business of doing that."

She shook her her head profusely. "No, I'm really not. But you can see why my earlier offer might be of some interest to you. I can't promise anything, but… well I'm sure you as a scientist know the odds of us figuring something out." He nodded and she could tell he was lost in thought. She really hoped she wasn't getting his hopes up, but it was worth a try. Natasha stopped them in front of some glass doors that slid open for them. This was clearly his lab, it was full of the "toys" Romanoff had mentioned before. He walked in and made himself right at home, quickly walking over to a screen nearby and beginning to work.

"I see you're adjusting quickly, Bruce." Natasha smirked. She turned to Noelle. "I have to do some work for Fury, but I'll see you soon I'm sure. Noelle smile and watched her go.

She watched Banner work for over an hour. She tried to keep quiet, the man was clearly deep in thought. Thankfully, he spoke first.

"So," he started, continuing to work in front of his screen. "How long have you been on the ship?"

Well, small talk was still talk. "A little over 4 weeks."

He nodded. "Why did you leave the hospital?"

She shifted on the countertop she sat on. "I..I just couldn't be there anymore." He nodded again and continued working. After a minute, she decided it was her turn. "Dr. Banner, I know we don't know each other very well, but I don't know who else to ask. Natasha is being, well, shady. What is going on here? Who do they have you looking for and why?"

Bruce stiffened slightly, but then relaxed. "I guess there's no harm in telling you, you're part of the team. At least as far as I'm concerned." Noelle's heart swelled at the thought of being on a team with such big names as the Hulk and Captain America, but she knew she would never be able to do anything other than heal their scrapes. "We're looking for a man named Loki. Do you remember that video of the man from space?"

She nodded before realizing his back was turned. "Yeah, I thought it looked fake."

He gave a small laugh. "Most people do. But it was real. Loki is that man's brother. He is using a weapon called the Tessaract to cause utter havoc. He even used it to corrupt two of our agents. Actually..I bet I could just show it to you. " He closed out his work and brought up a video on the hologram. He pressed play, and a scene out of a sci-fy movie played out before her eyes. When it was over, she stared at him in horror.

"So, let me get this straight. A man, I'm assuming that's Loki, fell through a hole in the ceiling and blasted his way through a small army using only a glow stick, touched two of our guys with it and they are now following him, AND is doing it all from the power of a glowing gift box."

He closed the video and went back to work. "Well.. you're not wrong really. He's very impressive and very dangerous. And we have very little idea of what his plan is, how he's doing it, and where he's going."

"So that's what you're doing, looking for him?"

He pointed to a picture on the screen of the man's face. "Exactly. I've got all the technology S.H.I.E.L.D.'s got trying to find this face."

Noelle slumped a little, trying to take it all in. At least she knew she was with the good guys, so that was a plus. She lost herself in thought for several minutes to process. She finally realized she had been silent for too long, so she chose to go his route: small talk. "So..how'd you get interested in..", she gestured to the lab. "All this?"

She watched as his mouth curled into a small smile. "Ever since I was a boy I have loved science. Physics, astronomy, you name it. Couldn't get enough of it. Even the wild ideas, like, like.."

"Aliens?"

He paused and finally looked at her, and they both burst out laughing."Yes, even aliens. Though, they became less fun the more I found out about them." They chuckled again. Noelle knew that they had a huge age difference, but she could see herself becoming friends with the quiet doctor.

They continued to make small talk, and at 9, she finally excused herself and went to her rooms. On the way, she stopped by the hospital to check on Lieutenant Johnson, but found that he had left. The nurse did inform her that the entire staff was amazed at the x-rays of his leg showing it being completely healed. Noelle was glad, and hoped it meant they would fear her less. Once she was back in her rooms, she got ready for bed and then flopped on to it. It was only then that her thoughts began to swirl. She wasn't sure that she was comfortable having two actual superheros working together. Actually, she wasn't sure she was comfortable having two superheros that SHE was in charge of keeping alive. Her curiosity continued until she fell asleep; thoughts of superheros and capes danced in her head.

Some behind the scenes of the Loki attack. I always wondered what happened to his victims, and Noelle's presence certainly changes what would have happened to them. CHAPTER 7 Noelle woke from her dreams to urgent pounding on her door. She scrambled from the bed, glad she had opted not to sleep naked. She pushed the button and the door swished open, revealing a slightly frantic Agent Coulson. He stared at her bed head, which she was sure looked like it could eat someone at this point. "Can I help you?" Her sleepy voice sounded just like a man. He regained his composure. "Uh, yes, Ms. Norris. I know it's late, but we need you. There's been an emergency." Noelle nodded quickly and ran back inside. In her room, she quickly stripped and looked for clothes. She pulled open her dresser drawers and begin ripping out her clothes. It didn't take long for her to realize that she had forgotten to do laundry. Well shit. In the closet she found the only outfit that wasn't pajamas: the standard uniform of the ship. She slipped the white v neck over her head and shimmied into the slim blue pants. She had tried it on when first getting on the ship but it had showed way too many of her flabbier spots. Now, she was glad that the training with Natasha had helped her lose enough of it for the clothes to fit comfortably. She slipped on her heavier combat boots and ran out the door, grabbing a jacket and then smacking the button to close the door behind her. She and the agent walked quickly through the halls, her curls swirling behind her. As she slipped the leather jacket on, she asked, "So what happened? Fill me in." He pushed the door to the stairs open. "Loki attacked a party in Stuttgart, Germany. Rodgers, Natasha, and Tony Stark have gone to stop him. But we have reports of several dead and wounded." They jumped steps, and Noelle tried to hide how hard she was breathing. Her joints were on fire, but adrenaline had kicked in and helped her push through. "And that's where I come in?" "Exactly." They made their way up the steps until they reached the door to the flight deck. A jet with its doors open waited not far away, and Coulson led her to it. "I will warn you, there is the report that Loki.. well he took out a man's eye ball." Noelle tried to hide her look of horror, but apparently didn't do a great job. "I don't know how much you can help him, but between him and the security that was hurt, we need you to at least try." Noelle nodded. They strapped themselves into the seats lining the walls of the plane. Coulson nodded to the pilot and the back door was closed. Noelle was glad she couldn't see out the window. While she loved flying, taking off from a moving air ship was a little on the wild side for her. Once they were in the air, Coulson showed her the clip of video from the scene. Noelle was disgusted. Loki had not only ripped out a man's eye, but also had attempted to kill an old man. The clip ended with Rodgers saving the older man. "He's a monster." Coulson nodded. He took a small baggie from his inner jacket pocket and handed it to her. Inside, she found a small earpiece. "Put it in. Not only will you be able to communicate to me, but the rest of the team as well if they are within reach. It also acts as a translator so that you can understand the residents." Noelle nodded and put it in. She heard nothing from the other end, so she assumed the rest of the group was too far away. She hoped they were ok. The jet was faster than any plane she'd ever been in, and in no time they found themselves landing in Germany. The pilot brought them down on the street, which Impressed Noelle to no end. As Noelle stepped out the back ramp, she took in the scene before her. Dozens of people in expensive clothes stood in clumps talking to the local police. Several ambulances were also parked in the street, each one with a person on a stretcher that they were beginning to load up. Noelle allowed herself to slowly extend her senses. While the crowd was very bright, it shone only yellow. She extended it further and found that the five men on the stretchers were all clinging to life. A thorough investigation of each of the men's bodies told her that the arrows they had been shot with had all missed major organs and arteries. Strange, it almost seems to be on purpose. Knowing that the men would survive using typical medical help, she turned to Coulson. "The men on the stretchers should all survive if the doctors take the arrows out carefully. All of them missed hitting anything major. Who else is hurt?" Coulson motioned and they walked over to a line of police tape. The officer guarding it began to stop them from crossing, but a flash of Coulson's badge allowed them through. They made their way into a museum-like building made of marble. The entrance was lined with red carpets. Inside, Noelle tried to remain focused, but spared one glance around at the breathtaking architecture. In the middle of the room, police officers stood in a half circle around some medics crouched on the floor. Noelle made her way to them, using her senses again to find who they were caring for. She found a motionless aura, most of the light having dimmed. She found no damage, just a dark spot where the left eye should be. She forced her way through the crowd and crouched beside the man. He was older, dressed very well, and unconscious. An EMT was doing CPR on him but looked to be near giving up. Another was bandaging his eye. They stared at her for a second, but continued to work. Stretching out her hands, she closed her eyes and began to work. He had lost so much blood and his damaged eye was still pouring it. She concentrated there first and forced the wounds closed, leaving only the tatters of his eye. Once the blood had stopped gushing, she moved to the blood still inside. Using her own energy, she caused the cells to reproduce at three times their regular rate so that he had a more stable amount of blood. The EMT felt his pulse begin to beat again and stopped doing CPR. She felt his light begin to grow again. Now that she was more positive he would at least live, she focused on his eye. She could feel that it was totally shredded. Her heart ached for the man to have lost it so cruelly. She had never repaired an eye that bad before, but she knew she had to try. She focused in on the energy of the healthy eye and what it was doing. Using it as a blueprint, she coerced the cells to rebuild. For a long minute she felt no change. Listen to me dammit. Suddenly, the dark, almost black purple of the eye began to lighten to a brighter purple. She felt the atoms and cells reproduce, move, and adjust to their right places. She could feel it beginning to reform. She gave a small smile. She felt the man stir and begin to wake, so she put her small hand on his shoulder. Thankfully, he quieted and fell into the deep sleep some injured were lucky enough to have. While she didn't know the exact anatomy of an eye, she was able to coerce the cells into following the lead of the healthy eye. After sitting for 30 minutes, the eyeball was completely reformed. Now to see if she could make it work. She opened her eyes and her hands dimmed, so she motioned for the EMTs to remove the bandage around his head. They looked at her skeptically, but her insistence persuaded them to do it. Slowly, they unwrapped it. Their faces changed from bewilderment to utter shock when they saw an eyelid behind the gauze. They pulled it up and they all gasped. A fully formed eyeball. Noelle stared at it closely. It was glazed over and she knew it would be useless unless she made sure all the parts functioned. She also knew she had to wake the man up to know if what she was doing was working. She shook his shoulders, first lightly and then with some force. After a moment, he came through. "Was.. Was is passiert? What has happened?" Noelle was thankful that the earpiece was working to translate. She also wished it translated for the other person. "Do you speak English?" She sighed with relief when he nodded. "You were hurt, but I'm here to help." She smiled at him. "Can you see through your left eye?" He threw up his hand and felt his eye socket and his glassy eye shifting wildly. She could feel him starting to panic. "Hey, woah its ok! I'm going make it better don't worry. Relax." She slowly took his hand away and held it. He looked at her with panic, but her calmness eventually wore off on him. He let his head lay back on the mat below and relaxed. "Ok, what can I do?" She laid his hand on his chest. "You get the easy job. All you have to do is tell me if your vision is getting better or worse when I ask." He nodded bravely. She closed her eyes again , and again her hand glowed. More "talking" with the cells began. She felt them grow stronger. The man squirmed. "I.. I can see shadows." She checked and saw the eye's energy change to red. "Good! Keep telling me what's happening." She gave more of her energy to the cells and felt them respond. The aura again changed colors, this time to orange. "I can see you! You are blurry, but I can see you!" She was getting tired and could feel her body screaming at her to stop giving so much of herself. She pushed past it and gave the rest of any energy she had to spare. The last push did it and she could sense it turn to a deep yellow. She opened her eyes and wiped the sweat from her face. The man was throwing his eyes around the room, drinking in every sight. Tears poured from smiled. "How about now?" He turned to her and began to sob. "Thank you! Thank you so much.." Noelle smiled, then gave a small chuckle. He looked at her quizzically. She put on as straight of face as she could manage. "Well sir, I'm sorry to say I have bad news for you." His face fell. She smiled again. "You're going to get a few stares, I'm afraid I turned your blue eye into a brown one!" The man stared at her dumbfounded before letting out a bellowing laugh. When he calmed down enough, he took her hand. "My dear, that is a small price to pay for my sight. Bless you." Noelle started to nod, but her vision began to close in. Suddenly, the world was black.

Y'all we finally get to meet all the Avengers! Even Tony (thank God some personality has arrived)! Also, dialogue is awful and should die a fiery death. I followed the dialogue straight from the movie again, but wasn't able to watch it for visual reference this go around. So some of the details may be slightly different. Thank you for all the comments and favorites. Like I said, this is my first published story so having feedback, whether positive or negative, is a big help. Get ready for the next chapter, Noelle gets to show off how dangerous she can be.


	4. Chapter 8-10

CHAPTER 8

Fire. The world is on fire. No.. wait. That's just me. Noelle could feel every inch of her body burning. It ached. It flared. Her soul tried to relocate but found out it was trapped. Pain everywhere.

Noelle checked her own aura and found it to be spotted red and orange. What happened? She tried to remember, but came up with nothing but fog. She expanded her conscious and found another being close by and several more farther back. A beeping noise caught her attention. Opening her eyes, she found herself on a hospital bed. Machines were hooked to needles in her arms and pads on her chest. Her eyes found a figure in the corner, huddled in a chair. From the way he slouched, she knew he must be asleep. Lieutenant Johnson. Why is he here? She fiddled in the sheets and found the remote to call the nurses. Immediately after pushing it her room was flooded with them. One face she remembered. "Hi, Noelle!" Lauren's sweet face smiled at her reassuringly. "How are you feeling?" The other two nurses began scanning her body with machines.

Noelle croaked, "Who let the Hulk get ahold of me?" She smiled and so did the nurses. She also noticed Johnson had woken up in the commotion and was giving a small, but concerned smile. She winced when another lightning strike of pain happened and the others looked at her concerned. When it passed, she asked, "Really though, what happened?"

Lauren sat in the chair beside her bed. "Agent Coulson told us that you healed a man's eye, but when you were done you blacked out. They brought you here, but that was about 4 hours ago." Noelle nodded. She began to pull the covers back from her. Lauren put a hand out to stop her. "Woah there, what do you think you're doing?"

Noelle pushed her hand away. "I have to check on the others. They may have gotten hurt in the fight." She began to pull the pads from her. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Ms. Norris." She looked up to find Lt. Johnson staring at her intently. "The others are safe. You need to rest." She glared at him.

"Fine, but I want to see them. I promise I'm fine I'll just need some time to get my energy back." The Lieutenant looked at her skeptically.

"Let me at least get you a wheelchair and take you." They each stared at each other, but neither budged. Finally, she shrugged her shoulders.

"Deal. Just let me go see them." The nurses started to unplug her. Noelle looked down at her hospital gown. As Johnson walked out, she yelled at him, "And please get me some damn clothes!"

After a few minutes, he came back with a wheel chair and a bag of clothes. "These were what you were wearing when you came in. We got you a fresh set. Your.. underthings were cleaned and put in here, too." Noelle groaned when she saw the blue and white uniform. Snatching it from his hand, she made her way to the bathroom.

Getting dressed felt like pure hell, but Noelle somehow managed to slide on the outfit. She stepped outside and found Johnson holding her boots. "Thanks." She said and quickly pulled them on. The movements felt like fire, but she didn't want him to know and so kept her face blank. Once they were on, she moved to the waiting chair.

"All right Mr. Sourpuss, I'm ready to go." She heard him give a small sigh of frustration before they began to move. She waved at the nurses and yelled 'thank you's to those she saw. Johnson hit the button for the elevator and pushed her inside.

Once the doors closed, Noelle tried to ignore the awkwardness. But she couldn't resist. "So… Why were you waiting on me to wake up?"

She felt him stiffen. "I'm sorry if that bothered you, ma'am." His tone gave away that he did not at all care if it bothered her. "I went to thank you for healing me and was told you had been hospitalized." He paused. "I.. Assumed that you would need my assistance when you woke up." Noelle wanted to call bullshit, but decided to let it be.

"Well.. Thank you, Lieutenant." She did mean it, even if he was bossy.

"Yes, ma'am."

She scowled. "Please don't call me that. Makes me feel old, you're not even much older than me." She glanced down at the wheel chair. "Actually, you pushing me in this makes me feel old. So let's cut one of those at least. Call me Noelle."

"I.. If you insist. My name is Bryce. You can call me whatever you want."

Noelle gave a small smile. "I was pretty fond of Mr. Sourpuss. But I guess Bryce works, too." She sensed him relax slightly and she hoped he had at least given a tiny smirk. She felt a small victory every time she cracked his granite face.

The elevator doors dinged and he pushed her out. They went down a familiar hallway and through the big glass doors. Noelle was met with familiar faces.

"Oh my gosh, what happened to you?" Natasha got up from the round table where she, Rogers, and Banner were sitting. Noelle blushed when she saw a familiar, very attractive alien man standing and staring at her. Why is Thor here? She turned her attention to Natasha's question.

"Oh… Just had to do some work." She tried not to give too much information. A healthier person would have been totally fine doing what she had done. "How about you?" Noelle did a mental check and found them all fine. "What happened with Loki? Also.. Not to be rude, but isn't that his brother?"

They all glanced at each other. Thor smiled, "He's adopted." Noelle chuckled.

She hesitated, then started again. "I know I'm not really on the team, but after seeing what he did, I really think I need to know what I'm dealing with. What if you call me in to heal and he's still there? Or what if.."

Natasha interrupted her. "Don't worry, we'll fill you in. Come join us." The agent glanced up at Bryce. "Thank you, Lieutenant. I can get her from here." Johnson stepped back and gave a small salute.

"Yes, ma'am." As he turned to go, he gave one last look of concern to Noelle.

She flashed him a smile. "Thanks, Bryce." He nodded and left. Natasha started to wheel her to the table, but Noelle held up a hand. "Hang on, let me get up."

"Are you sure?" No. Her body told her that moving sounded like a horrible idea, but she didn't want the men to consider her as a weak link.

Noelle pushed herself up, feeling every muscle ache. "Yeah, it was their idea anyway. I'm just a little sore is all."

She was glad when the agent didn't push her about it. She sat down in a chair between her and Bruce. Once she got settled, she gave Natasha a smile of reassurance. "See? Just fine."

The look she got back said it wasn't as believable as she had hoped. Natasha smirked. "Of course, I've trained you well." The two gave a small laugh. "Well, as promised I'll fill you in." She turned to a nearby screen and pulled up an image of Loki. Noelle squinted and realized he was in a glass cage. "As you know, Loki attacked a town in Germany last night. Thanks to his brother, Thor, we have managed to capture and contain him." Noelle made eye contact with the giant man. His face betrayed no emotion, but he returned the small smile she gave him. Natasha continued, "Fury just spoke with him and didn't gain much, so now it's time to game plan."

They all turned when Rogers spoke up. "Loki's gonna drag this out. So, Thor," He gave a small nod to the other man, "what's his play?"

The Asgardian crossed his arms. "He has an army called the 'Chitari'. They're not of Asgard or any other world known. He means to lead them against your people. They will win him the earth. In return, I suspect, for the Tesseract."

Most of the team nodded stoically as if this was the most usual situation. Noelle stared wide-eyed and flushed. Steve spoke up. "An army..From outer space?" He and Noelle exchanged the same bewildered look. Thank God I'm not the only one who's in way over their head.

Dr. Banner, who had been staring intently at the table in front of him, ignored the question. "So he's building another portal. That's what he needs Erik Selvig for."

This got Thor's attention. For the first time since Noelle had laid eyes on him, he showed some emotion. "Selvig?"

Banner nodded. "He's an astrophysicist."

Thor crossed his arms. "He's a friend." Seems like Thor might need to invest in a new circle of friends. She did feel for him, regardless. Having lost her own friend, she couldn't imaging one working for Loki.

Natasha finally spoke again. "Loki has him under some kind of spell," She stared at the corner of the room. "And one of ours." Noelle squinted at her friend, trying to read her. The other woman turned and caught her eye. Her face returned to its naturally-granite position, using Noelle's curiosity as a reminder to keep her personal life hidden. Guess she'll tell me when she's ready.

Her attention was brought back when Rogers spoke again. "I wanna know why Loki let us take him. He's not leading an army from here."

Noelle's attention snapped. "Wait, he's HERE?" Her eyes swept the group for answers. "Are we sure that's a good idea to have such a dangerous crazy man,, on an airship... miles in the air?"

Banner was the first to answer her. "You're not wrong, it's not the safest idea. But we need to keep him close. Plus, I don't think we should be focusing on him. That guy's brain is a bag full of cats, you could smell the crazy on him."

Noelle snickered, but her face went blank when Thor's tone got serious. "Have care how you speak. Loki is beyond reason, but he is of Asgard, and he's my brother."

Natasha spoke up, though not maliciously. "He killed eighty people in two days."

"Like I said, he's adopted." This time Noelle couldn't control her laugh and let out a loud giggle. The giant man looked at her distastefully, but her smile was contagious and his good nature eventually won over the expression on his face.

Banner, having again been lost in thought, spoke. "Wait, Iridium. What did they need the Iridium for?"

Just then, the doors swished open and a man walked in. He was wearing a t-shirt and jeans, yet his demeanor spoke of high status. "It's a stabilizing agent." Well alrighty then, smartass. Behind him walked Agent Coulson. Noelle laughed internally at how ridiculously plain he looked in the room full of heroes. But then again, she had even less room to talk. The man turned back to him, finishing their previous conversation, "I'll fly you there. Keep the love alive." His large personality began to consume the room. He spoke again as if to finish his original thought. "Means the portal won't collapse on itself, like it did at S.H.I.E.L.D." His attention fell on the hulking figure of Thor. "No offense Point Break." Noelle blurt laughed before she could suppress it. " You've got a mean swing. Also, it means the portal can open as wide, and stay open as long, as Loki wants it." Noelle watched as he then turned to look at the crew below them, his attention problems being almost palpable. "Uh, raise the mid-mast, ship the top sails." They only stared at him or ignored him.

"Oh don't worry," she piped up, suddenly more bold to speak. She smirked at him. "I already had the top sails shipped an hour ago." He stared at her, clearly unused to someone returning his humor.

"Ah, well good then." He stuck his hand out. She shook it. "Tony Stark. Also known as Iron Man. Sorry, I'd ask your name but you're clearly slacking at your job because that man," He swung around, pointing a finger, "is playing Galaga!" Noelle gasped in mock surprise. The young crew member frantically clicked at his screen. Tony smirked, "Thought we wouldn't notice, but we did." Again, Noelle couldn't control her burst of laughter. The rest of the team stared in a mix of annoyment and bewilderment. Again, his attention skipped. He covered one of his eyes with his hand and spun in a circle. "How does Fury do this?"

"He turns." Noelle swivelled her head to find the impressive commander woman from before.

He nodded somberly back. "Well, that sounds exhausting." A slight pause, then he was back to yet another previous conversation. "The rest of the raw materials, Agent Barton can get his hands on pretty easily." Out of the corner of her eye, Noelle saw Natasha shift. One of our own.."Only major component he still needs is a power source. A high energy density, something to kick start the cube."

The agent woman spoke again. "When did you become an expert in thermonuclear astrophysics?"

The face he returned to her was nonchalant. "Last night." He glanced around and was met with blank stares. "The packet, Selvig's notes, the Extraction theory papers? Am I the only one who did the reading?"

"Sorry, I was too busy watching paint dry." Noelle shocked herself by again letting her sassy humor bubble out. It had been months since she had been so forward with it.

"Well, when I remodel my next mansion I'll call you first."

Steve Rogers interrupted their humor, clearly having been lost in strategy. "Does Loki need any particular kind of power source?"

Banner answered him. "He's got to heat the cube to a hundred and twenty million Kelvin just to break through the Coulumb barrier."

Tony used his new expertise to answer. "Unless, Selvig has figured out how to stabilize the quantum tunneling effect."

Banner's eyebrows furrowed. "Well, if he could do that he could achieve heavy ion fusion at any reactor on the planet."

"Finally!" Tony exclaimed, "someone who speaks English."

Again, Noelle and Rogers shared a bewildered glance. "Is that what just happened?", he said.

Noelle whispered indiscreetly across the table to him. "Nerds…" He smiled broadly and nodded his head in mock agreement.

While they talked, the two "nerds" shook hands. The respect between them was almost visible. "It's good to meet you, Dr. Banner." Tony began. " You're work on anti-electron collisions is unparalleled. And you know, I'm a huge fan of the way you lose control and turn into an enormous green rage monster."

The table chuckled, including Banner. "Thanks".

The good feelings were interrupted when Nick Fury walked in. While Noelle definitely could feel Tony's domineering attitude in the room, Fury's very being commanded their attention. His black trench coat sweeping behind him, he went to the middle of the room where Noelle had first seen him take command. "Dr. Banner is only here to track the cube." Noelle wasn't sure how well Tony would respond to the not-so-subtle hint, but Fury redirected his attention. "I was hoping you would join him." The two domineering personalities remained relaxed outwardly, but Noelle was very conscious about the war waging between them.

She was grateful yet again when Rogers broke the tension. "Let's start with that stick of his. It may be magical, but it works an awful lot like a HYDRA weapon." Noelle was thankful she had read his biography recently enough to remember that HYDRA was the evil organization he had battled against.

Fury answered him, "I don't know about that, but it is powered by the cube. And I'd like to know how Loki used it to turn two of the sharpest men I know into his personal flying monkeys.

Thor looked at him, clearly confused. "Monkeys? I do not understand."

Rogers shifted in his chair excitedly. "I do!" Embarrassment at his overexcitement sent him back into a relaxed slouch. "I understood that reference." Noelle smiled hard at the proud look on his face.

"Well, look at the old man showing up us youngsters." Noelle fired at him, again flashing her good-natured smile so that he understood she was teasing.

"Young lady, I don't want to hear it from you. You're basically still in diapers."

Noelle was taken back by the fact that he returned her humor. She blurt laughed again. "Fair, Captain, very fair."

Tony Stark shook his head and looked at Banner. "Shall we play, doctor?"

Banner nodded enthusiastically. "Let's play some."

The two lovebirds walked out and down the hall to Banner's lab. As they left, Noelle happened to catch the young crew member Tony had called out turning his computer back to Galaga. Nice.

Rogers watched them go, then stood. He nodded to the women and then at Fury. "I'm going to go try to touch base with some old contacts. They may know more about this." With that, he left.

Fury turned to Noelle. "Ms. Norris, I heard of your work in Germany." She blushed, thinking of her blackout. He gave her a small smile. "Very impressive."

She nodded back at him. "Just here to please, sir."

He gave a small chuckle. "I believe you have earned a break." His face turned somber. "I'm afraid that will have to wait. I have a favor to ask of you."

Her curiosity peaked and she glanced at Natasha. The woman shrugged her shoulders in response. "What do you need?" she asked hesitantly.

"Agent Romanoff has informed me that your training has come along considerably. She also has informed me that you have refused to fight." Noelle has a sinking feeling in her stomach. "You saw the devastation Loki caused. This team," he gestured to the chairs, "is a powerful one. But none are as powerful as what I believe your powers can become. We may need you if Loki's plan plays out."

Noelle slowly shook her head. "Mr. Fury, I'm sorry but.."

"Let me finish." His deep voice boomed, though not menacingly. "I have a proposal for you." Noelle couldn't dream of one good enough to get her to fight using her powers. She had already done so much damage with them. "If you agree to train with Agent Romanoff and the others on honing your powers, you will be offered a house on a private island. Fully staffed, yours only, with transportation available to anywhere. You'll never have to lift a finger again. The offer is yours even if you never fight, as long as you promise to train and be willing to fight if we need you."

Noelle wasn't sure when her mouth had fallen open, but her jaw was nearly on the table. She snapped it shut and her mind whirled. She had thought the Helicarrier was the best possible place for her to be, but the picture Fury painted made her want to faint. It was too good to be true. But reality again took hold. She made eye contact with the intimidating man. "That..that sounds wonderful. Beyond wonderful. But there's no way I could ever hurt anyone again. Not after what happened."

"I understand your predicament, but we aren't talking about a small amount of danger." His tone showed that he clearly did not like to be told "no". "This is the world at stake. You would be wise to remember that."

Noelle began to bite her lip. Natasha suddenly spoke up. "Noelle, we really need you."

Noelle made eye contact with her friend but was forced to look away at the earnesty she found there. Shit.

She let out a long sigh. "Fine. But I don't agree to your deal just yet. I'll train with Natasha, but I want the option to say no when the time comes without that hanging over my head."

Fury smacked his hands together. "Then it's settled. Training starts tomorrow. Until then, you've earned some rest."

He swept back out of the room in the same tangible way he had entered it. Noelle and Natasha remained sitting quietly for a long while before Noelle spoke. "Natasha."

The other woman looked up. "Yes?"

"I'm stuck here." They both laughed and Natasha stood. "Alright, guess I'd better get you a wheelchair then."

When she left, Noelle slumped even further in her chair. What have I gotten myself into?

Ok so we are finally getting farther into the movie. Which means more action woo! But I am slowing the scenes down slightly in order to be able to have scenes that I would like to incorporate. The movie takes place over only a few days, which is not very much time. Ill let you know what I've changed at the end of each. Thanks again for reading :)

Chapter 9

Back in her cabin, Noelle sat cross legged on the floor. Her hands together over her heart, she sat deep in meditation. In her mind's eye she could see her aura sitting on the floor. It glowed a swirling mix of red and orange; proof that she had overworked herself in Germany. She counted her breaths to keep them even as she tried to heal her own body. It resisted at first, but slowly she could feel it giving in. After an hour, she had finally cooled herself down to a mix of orange and yellow.

She stood and stretched, popping nearly every joint she had. Ahh, thank God. She still felt terrible and knew she needed sleep, but with so much going on with the team she felt like she needed to stay ready for anything. She looked around her room for something to keep her awake. As she was deciding, Fury's voice intruded on her thoughts, "The offer is yours even if you never fight, as long as you promise to train and be willing to fight if we need you."

Noelle shivered at the thought of having to use her powers to destroy. But… I guess it will keep me awake. She didn't know what to wear for training her powers, so she opted for her favorite: comfortable dress, leggings, and boots. Easy to move in but not as unflattering on her as the skin tight ensembles the rest of the team wore. This time she chose her favorite a black dress and boots, but with purple tights. She had always hated purple, but as the color for chronic illness awareness she felt the need to represent it wherever she went. With how she felt currently, she definitely knew she had issues. She grabbed a bottle of water and headed to the training room. As she made her way through the familiar halls, she shut out the auras of others and got lost in her thoughts. What a day. Being responsible for the world's most notorious heroes had never quite been on her to-do list, and being on the team with them had most definitely not been on there either. I'm not even powerful enough for that. If I do get thrown into a fight, I'm fairly certain they'll have to scrape my ass off the concrete.

She rounded the corner to the gym doors and slowed. Wait… What am I thinking? She couldn't exactly use weights to train her powers.

She sighed at herself for not thinking it through, but walked through the doors nevertheless. As they opened, she was greeted with a familiar sight. "Well, Johnson, good to see you up and around."

The man stopped wailing on the punching bag as soon as he heard her voice. Noelle was fairly impressed with how immediately he turned to granite. Maybe that's his superpower… Turning into stone. He nodded at her. "Ms. Norris."

She frowned at him. "Thought you had caved on calling me Noelle. I can go back to making up my own nicknames for you if you prefer."

He glared back at her teasing smile. "No. I only let my mother call me Mr. Sourpuss."

Noelle's eyebrows flew up in surprise. "Bryce… Bryce was that a joke I just heard?"

He shrugged his shoulders and went back to the suddenly important job of beating up a punching bag. Noelle laughed hard, shocked beyond belief that he even knew what humor was. She walked over to a machine near him, but not so close that he could take a swipe at her, and leaned against it. He refused to acknowledge her and continued to kick and punch aggressively. Noelle was impressed that he was barely breaking a sweat. In the most smug voice she could muster, she said, "Johnson, I'm pretty good at what I do. But you have proven me wrong." His punches came just as furiously. He knew by the look on her face that she was about to mock him, and she liked it. "I did a full scan of your body and didn't even come close to finding a funny bone. Guess you showed me."

Bryce punched the bag so hard that it flew backwards violently. She knew she had flustered him and she loved every second of it. As her attention fell to the violent movement of the bag, Bryce took the opportunity. In one swift movement, he had picked her up, spun her around, and placed her firmly but gently on her ass. Her first reaction was surprise, but it quickly turned into an only semi-serious anger. "Excuse you!" He began to laugh at the look on her face. She crossed her arms and glared at him. She glared for a long while, but his laugh was distracting and eventually she laughed with him. She stuck a hand in the air and he helped her up. In her laughing, Noelle didn't realize he held her hand for much longer than necessary. Only once she looked down and saw it did he quickly turn back to granite and yank his away. Noelle's favorite tactic for awkward situations was to ignore them, so she smiled at him. "I'm sorry my humor intimidates you so much that you had to be violent."

His face relaxed slightly. "It's not that I'm intimidated. It's just that I felt you needed something to wipe that smug look off your face."

She laughed again and shook her head. "If that's what you say then I'll believe you." She made sure her tone heavily suggested she did not believe him. "So, question."

His eyebrows lifted. "Shoot."

"I'm supposed to train my powers, but if I do it here I'll destroy the place. Do you know if they have a better place for it?"

He thought for a moment. Noelle blushed slightly when she found herself studying his face. She was snapped out of it when he answered. "Yeah, actually there's a separate arena for the heroes. Follow me I'll show you."

He lead her out the doors opposite of the way she came in and down a series of hallways. I sure hope I can find my way back out again. She knew even as she thought it that she would be totally lost. After several twists and turns, they came to some doors almost identical to the ones at the gym. When they opened, Noelle was surprised to see an empty room. "What is this?"

Bryce pointed to a console on the far corner of the room. "I'm pretty sure we use that to activate it." The two made their way over. On it was a single, square panel. "Put your hand there." Noelle looked at him skeptically but did as she was told. As soon as her hand touched it, a female voice boomed over unseen speakers. "Welcome, Noelle Norris. In order to begin training, please enter a code name." Noelle looked at Johnson with a sense of panic. "What do I choose?"

He shrugged at her. "How about 'Healer' or something about your powers?"

She shook her head and thought. After a few moments, she said louder. "Code name: Aura."

Johnson nodded reassuringly. "Good one."

The female voice responded. "Welcome, Aura. Which of your powers do you wish to train today: healing or other?"

"Other, I guess."

"Selected: other. The training will begin on the easiest setting and progress to a harder level as you defeat your opponent. The program will begin to adapt to your powers in order to create a program for you. When you wish to end the training, say 'End Training'. When you wish to begin, say 'Begin'. Are you ready to begin?"

Noelle looked at Bryce. He nodded and said, "There's a viewing room, I'll wait for you until you're done."

"Don't judge me too much, it's been a long time since I've done this."

He laughed a little at her concern. "Seems like a chance for me to get even since you judge me constantly."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Oh, shut up I do not."

His smile cocked to the side smugly. "If that's what you say, I'll believe it." He laughed again and exited the room. Noelle looked around the empty room and panic began to creep it's way into her head. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. While she most definitely didn't want to fight, she didn't want to always be afraid of herself. Steeling herself, she gave the command. "Begin."

Instantly, the room began to change. In front of her appeared a man. A knife was in his hands and he looked at her menacingly. She was shocked to find that he had an aura. She did a brief scan and realized he was made of atoms, though they made only a mimic of a true human form. How is that possible? How much does this program know about me? The female voice gave the instructions, "Training objective: stop assailant." Her hands began to glow yellow before she realized that she wasn't supposed to heal him. The man began to run at her and she panicked. Suddenly, the light around her hands darkened, becoming like a purple mist around her hands. She concentrated on his aura and mentally told his "atoms" to break his legs. She heard a snap and the man's face twisted in agony. He fell mid-run and screamed. Noelle looked on in horror. She began to back away. I can't do this. Before she could end the program, the man stood and two more identical copies of him appeared. Again, they all had a bright yellow aura. The computer voice spoke again. "Level: 2. Training objective: Stop assailants." Noelle began to sweat. I have to be smarter about this. Her hands, glowing purple, began to darken until it seemed that a black mist surrounded them. She concentrated on all three of their auras where the brain was. At the same time, she pulled the energy from them. All three collapsed to the floor, dead. Much more humane. I have to remember that, just in case.

Training levels 3 through 6 went the same way. Each level added more men until she was fighting 20 at once. Thankfully, killing them by killing their brains drained very little energy from her and she could do all of them at once. At the end of level 6, the floor was littered with the dead. They all disappeared, just as the last ones had. But instead of more appearing, she found a new scenario. The room was pitch black. Dark, oppressing black. She could barely see her hands in front of her face , even when she made them glow as bright yellow as possible. "Level: 7. Training Objective: defeat the enemy." Noelle looked around but still saw nothing. Without warning, a fist came flying from the darkness and hit her square in the jaw. She went sprawling to the floor. From her training with Natasha she knew she had to get up immediately. She jumped up and then regretted it, her head spinning. How am I supposed to beat someone I can't see? It was only then that she realized she had closed out the auras from her sight as the number of men had grown. It had become so much of a second nature that she hadn't done it consciously. Opening up her mind, she was immediately greeted by the bright aura of her enemy. He circled her now, waiting for the moment to strike. Now that she could sense him, she used the same tactic as the first levels and killed him quickly.

Two more levels of the same pitch dark; the men multiplied more quickly this time and in only two rounds she was back to fighting 20 men at a time. Thankfully, she could sense them just as well by their auras and it went as easily as the previous levels. After defeating the last of the twenty, she turned to prepare herself for more men. Instead, she found herself in an entirely new scenario.

She stood on a building and in front of her was one of the men. "Level: 10. Training objective: save the child." Noelle looked around puzzled, seeing only the man.

A child appeared next to him. A little girl. Suddenly, the man grabbed the child and ran to the edge. He held the child over and she began to scream. "No!" Noelle screamed as the man laughed at their terror and dropped the child. Noelle reacted instinctively and jumped over the edge after her. She caught the child by its foot and tucked her into her body, with her back facing the ground. As she fell to what she knew would be her death, she thought of Bryce having to watch her die. I'm sure his face would stay just as stone-like as always. Suddenly, she had an idea. She concentrated on her own aura and told her body to harden like stone. Immediately, they began to fall faster and her body stiffened. She closed her eyes and they hit the ground hard. It jarred her teeth, but her body no longer felt pain from the impact.

It took Noelle several seconds to open her eyes. When she did open them, she found herself staring into the eyes of the little girl. They were electric blue and reminded her of Bryce's. Noelle opened her arms and the girl crawled out. As she set her hands on the ground, she found that the pavement had formed to her shape. She tried to stand, but her movements were slow and rigid. Oh, I forgot to change myself back. She concentrated her energy and commanded her body to return to normal. As the hardness seeped out of her, her limbs lightened and she felt light as air. It sent a shiver up her spine to feel so different in her own body.

In a short time she was able to stand. Doing so made it look like she left a shadow behind her in the concrete. She circled slowly, looking for where the child had gone, but realized that the room had reset to black. Her body no longer felt heavy as stone, but she could feel how much of her energy had been zapped and she was already in a weakened state. Her shoulders drooped and she decided it was time to end it. "End Training".

The computer voice answered back, "Training Terminated. Statistics posted to file: Aura." The room lit up as brightly as when she had first entered and she made her way to the door. Outside, she found Lieutenant Johnson waiting on her.

She frowned at the look on his face. "What?" He continued to stare at her searchingly. She got more annoyed. "Uh hello, can I help you?"

His focus changed and his face hardened again, though not as severely as before. "Norris, you are one scary lady."

She punched him lightly on the arm. "Remember that the next time you try to fight me then." Her smile caused one to spread out on his face.

"Oh, I don't think I could ever forget what I just saw in there." His eyes focused on her jaw. He grabbed her face gently. "Speaking of, we probably should get some ice for you. You're starting to bruise." His touch was electric, and Noelle wasn't quite sure what he said but nodded anyways. She had always been a big fan of personal space, so she wasn't sure why she was letting him get away with it. Or why she didn't pull away. Bryce was the first to realize he was too close and pulled back. "Sorry, it's just a massive bruise."

Noelle touched it and winced. "What kind of simulation is that?"

"Something Stark invented. Fury was pretty excited to get his hands on it." He turned and lead her down the hallway. "I don't know the technology behind it but if Stark invented it, it must be pretty intense."

As they walked, Noelle focused on her aura and healed herself. She could immediately feel the swelling go down. After several hallways she didn't recognize, she became puzzled. "Where are we going?"

Bryce turned around. "To the hospital.." his eyes fell on her chin, now healed. "...of course." He looked slightly embarrassed. "Sorry, I forgot you could do that."

She laughed, and then blushed. "My bad." He shook his head and began leading her down more hallways until they reached some that looked more familiar. Within a minute they were back at her room. Another awkward silence. "Well, thanks for showing me the training room. Sorry you had to watch all that."

He shook his head. "No, that really was incredible. If that was just a few levels of your talent I can't even begin to imagine what all you can do." He stared at her intently.

She blushed and shrugged. "Well.. it's no big deal. Thanks again." She turned and opened her door. "Hope to see you around."

He smiled. "Count on it."

Well after chapter 9, I officially have over 1,000 views! That's probably not a big deal but I feel like it's not bad for my first time actually publishing a story. Thanks for all the comments, they mean a lot to me. I'm a big fan of when you turn into a green commenting monster (that was so lame I'm sorry). Please keep telling me your thoughts, some of them have helped me decide what to write. :)

Chapter 10

Noelle stood in her empty entryway. A small smile that she couldn't explain stayed on her face no matter how hard she fought it. She looked around, trying to remember what she was supposed to be doing. Wait shit! I'm not supposed to sleep yet. She shook her head and opened her door. She wasn't exactly sure where she was going, but her body was screaming at her to sleep and she knew any moment of rest might lead to hours of sleep. Too many hours of sleep where anything could happen to the others. She walked through the halls aimlessly, looking for either some form of excitement or a place to get a snack. Or both, she wasn't picky.

She made a turn and slammed into something hard. The force of the impact knocked her backwards and she braced herself on the wall behind her. She felt strong arms steady her.

"Woah! Sorry there, ma'am." Noelle looked up and found Rogers staring down at her.

She blushed, less from the proximity to such an attractive man and more because of her carelessness. "Sorry, Steve. Don't know where my head was." She righted herself and he stepped back. She noticed he was wearing his suit still. "Where are you off to?"

He glanced around, slightly nervous. Weird. "Oh, just trying to check out the ship. Get my bearings." He leaned against the wall. "Better question is what are you still doing up? I heard about what you did in Germany, shouldn't you be resting?"

Noelle shrugged. She knew he was misdirecting her from whatever conversation he didn't want to have, but he was right. "I don't want to be passed out if anything happens. Especially if someone gets hurt."

He looked at her with concern. "Norris, you're no good to us if you're worn out."

Noelle snorted slightly and gave him a serious look. "That's my secret Captain, I'm always tired." She winked and he chuckled.

"Whatever you say, squirt. Just try not to fall asleep while you're still standing."

"Thanks, Dad." This one got a glare.

"I may be old, but I'm definitely not old enough to be your dad."

Noelle's eyes betrayed her sassy comment before she'd even made it. "Sorry. Whatever you say, Gramps."

He rolled his eyes at her and pushed off the wall. "I can tell it's going to be interesting being around you." He turned back down the hall and she laughed over her shoulder as she walked the other way. Bonding with Captain America. Mrs. Betty would throw a fit if she knew. Thinking of her sweet friend still brought a deep ache in her heart, but she was beginning to be able to think of her in a positive way. Less hurt.

She kept taking more absent minded turns until she found herself passing Banner's lab. She glanced inside and found both Banner and Stark working. Noelle watched for a moment, studying the look on their faces. Each of them stared at a computer screen, looking tired and frustrated. Noelle realized that they probably hadn't left in hours. Suddenly, she had an idea. She hid out of their sight, where the wall met the glass of the lab. While she didn't know them very well, her jokes with Stark earlier made her think he needed a humor break. She broke her mental barrier and allowed their auras to enter her sight. Again, she saw Banner's as the weird green- yellow aura. Stark's was even more interesting. She knew about his device that was keeping him alive, it's glowing was hard to miss. But she could actually see the pocket of energy where it was in his aura; a bright white spot in the middle of his yellow. She concentrated on Stark, knowing better than to mess with Banner, and began to manipulate his atoms.

It didn't take long to complete her masterpiece. She peeked around the corner and waited. She watched Stark turn to ask Banner a question, and held her breath as Banner turned to answer him. Banner froze and stared at Stark's now bright green hair before beginning to chuckle. Tony's face looked puzzled, until he caught his reflection on a nearby screen. Now it was his turn to laugh and he ran his fingers through his hair. Noelle took her chance and entered the lab nonchalantly. The two started laughing harder when she entered. She faked surprise at his new make over. Raising her eyebrows at Banner, she gestured to Stark, "Do I need to leave? I don't want to catch what you're spreading."

Banner smiled and rolled his eyes at her. Stark's lit up, "I can't wait to Hulk out for the first time." He turned to Banner. "Tell me, where do you shop for your Hulk-pants? I'm going to need a fitting."

Noelle played along, "You're basically living every girl's dream. A whole new wardrobe! How fantastic."

Tony snapped his fingers, suddenly serious, "Speaking of new wardrobe, I have a surprise for you. Come with me." Noelle looked at him questioningly but followed, waving at Banner as she left. He led her down the hall, where she took the opportunity to change his hair back. Not before making sure he got a few stares, of course. After several halls and doors, plus a slightly awkward silent elevator ride, they stopped in front of a door. Tony placed his hand on the square beside it and it popped open. Inside, Noelle was astounded to see several boxes of equipment, mostly parts of Iron Man suits. Tony walked over and pulled up a screen.

"Where are we?" She asked, amazed as ever at the situation she had found herself in. People from Arkansas weren't typically invited to secret superhero rooms.

A man's voice answered her back. "Welcome, Ms. Norris. Pleased to finally meet you." Noelle whipped around but saw only Tony. "Sorry to startle you. I'm JARVIS,Mr. Stark's.."

Tony interrupted him. "Butler. He's my computer butler."

Noelle wasn't totally sure, but she thought she heard the computer sigh. "Yes, I am his computer butler, as he so eloquently put it."

Stark snapped in her direction. "You. We have some details to work out."

Noelle cocked an eyebrow at him. "Details for what?"

He looked her as if she should obviously know the answer. "You're suit, of course."

Her eyes widened. "My what?"

Tony rolled his eyes. "Come on catch up. Fury told me about you joining us to fight.."

Noelle interrupted, "Possibly going to fight. Probably not."

He continued as if she hadn't spoken. "He also informed me that you are like a small, baby bunny if anyone gets close to you."

Noelle started to object. "I am not! I've been training with Natasha and.."

Now he interrupted her. He held up his hands in mock sympathy. "Which is great, you know, as long as it's one regular person attacking you with no weapon. But what about if it's a hundred not-regular guys with weapons? We need to get you some protection in case one of us can't be there."

She looked at him skeptically. "Fair. But it takes enough of my energy just to walk in my own body, let alone walking in heavy armor."

He walked from the screen he had been working at over to a wall. "JARVIS, show Norris here what you've been thinking." As some holograms appeared before her, he continued. "He's been scanning you since you entered the room, so we have your measurements." Cool. I think.

JARVIS spoke up, "Yes, so let's begin." Noelle looked and saw glowing twins of herself before her. Each had on a different outfit. "To your right is an idea based off of one potential fighting style." The hologram showed her in almost Viking-like armour, similar to what she had seen Thor wear. "While it will restrict your movement, it will keep you protected from powerful opponents." Noelle didn't think she liked the idea of not being able to move around. Apparently, the look on her face showed what she was thinking. JARVIS paused, then continued. "So not that one. Moving on. This next one we have created for complete body coverage, but still allows for flexible movement." It showed her in a full body suit, like one Natasha would wear. "It's made of the same material many of the others wear. Breathable, but tough as a diamond."

She cringed, clearly seeing the difference between how Natasha looked versus how she looked in a body suit. "I like the idea behind this.. but maybe a little less form fitting." She chuckled and blushed.

"Noted", JARVIS continued. "Let me brainstorm."

The holograms disappeared and Noelle glanced at Stark and gave a small laugh. "Sorry, guess you didn't realize how picky I was when Fury asked you to do this."

He shook his head at her slightly. "I'm still changing my suit. It's really not a big deal. JARVIS is a genius, because, well, a genius made him. He'll get it perfect for you."

Noelle nodded. "Thank you for doing this, but I'm still not sure I'm going to need it. I had promised myself I'd never use my powers to hurt anyone again. I mean, of course I realize what's at stake here, but it's not like I can just forget what I've done." As she talked, she walked around the room, admiring his work. "What you do is cool and helpful. What I do… it's deadly to everyone. Not just my enemies."

Stark stopped working. He seemed lost in his own thoughts. Suddenly, he clapped his hands together. "I've got it! JARVIS, do a full scan of her, including her clothes."

JARVIS responded. "Yes, sir. Already done. I believe I know exactly where you're going with this."

Tony began to adjust things on his screen. Suddenly, a hologram popped up before her. She took a step back, startled. But she leaned in once she got a closer look. "Stark, is this a game? That's the exact thing I'm wearing!"

His eyes gleamed at his own genius. "Exactly. I'm going to make your armor look like your everyday clothes. Some minor tweaks of course, but that way you won't have to worry about adjusting to it! I'm brilliant, I know."

Noelle smiled giddily. "Well, I can't argue with that. It's perfect! Seriously, thank you so much."

Tony nodded. "If you're going to help us not die, I'd better help make sure you stay alive." He gave her a half smile. "Go get some rest kid, if we need you I'll tell them where to look. You're armor will be ready by tomorrow."

Noelle smirked at him. "Well, I guess it's a theme around here to try to be my dad." She yawned aggressively. Ok body, I hear you. "But apparently you aren't wrong. Thanks again. Really." She turned to go and he waved at her. She waved back and called over her shoulder, "Stay out of trouble so I can rest some."

An hour later found Noelle finally in her bed. It would have been sooner, but she had gotten lost twice trying to find her way back from Tony's lab. She thought back on her day and smiled. What a whirlwind. What have I gotten myself into? She frowned, thinking about why some of the events had happened. She really didn't want to fight. Loathed the idea of it. But knowing that she could be even just a tiny bit helpful in keeping the team alive should Loki strike was swaying her opinion. It's not that I'm a great fighter, but I could at least stand there and heal them while they fight. If she did that, she wouldn't have to hurt anyone except the few who got close to her, if any did. It sounded perfect. But Noelle wasn't sure if she'd even be able to keep herself alive.

She fell asleep that night, still warring with herself. Little did she know, she'd have to make a choice very soon.


	5. Chapter 11-12

CHAPTER 11

So here's the first time difference! In the original, Fury is confronted about the weapons almost immediately after Noelle sees Captain America, but I've added some time in between to include more Noelle time. Enjoy!

Noelle stood with her lunch tray, people watching as she waited for the scoop of potatoes from the lunch lady. She wasn't sure whether they stared at her because they knew of her powers or because of the massive bags under her eyes. She had passed out after returning to her cabin from her visit with Stark and slept until noon. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough sleep. It never was.

She grabbed her tray and a water before turning to the waiting tables. The lunch room was filled to the brim and left very little room for her to sit without being forced to meet new people. No thanks. She headed for the door to return to her room when a hand caught her shoulder. Bryce stood behind her, granite faced yet again. Behind him was a small cluster of other officers in their blue uniforms who looked at him questioningly. "Would you like to eat with us."

Noelle wondered if he could have possibly said it in a more unenthusiastic way. "Uhh, no it's ok I don't want to interrupt."

Johnson gave her a small smirk where the others couldn't see. "If you insist, though I had never taken you to be such a considerate person."

She glared at him. "Fine, you win. I'd hate for you to think I'm considerate."

Bryce smirked before returning to granite. He turned her towards the awaiting group. "This is Noelle Norris, she works in the hospital." Noelle was grateful he left out her powers. It typically made things more awkward. He then pointed at the group of four. "That's Rachel, Taz, Micah, and Ben."

The group of uniforms turned and headed for a table that had just been vacated. Bryce and Noelle followed together, though an outsider would have thought they were strangers from their body language.

Noelle studied the group as she sat down. There were four of them besides herself and Bryce, each more different than the last. To her right was Ben, a man who was more boy; she didn't think he could have been older than 18. His face was tan but round, which made him look even younger. His red hair was to his ears and shaggy. While he wore the same uniform as the others, his denoted a more relaxed look. Overall, she felt the most comfortable with him and his laid back attitude. Next to him was Taz, who she could not quite place as either female or male. I'll have to remember to ask their pronouns before I open my mouth and say something dumb. The person was beautiful, regardless. They had wide, friendly brown eyes and a smile that came easily. Their hair was a strawberry blonde that was kept short. While they seemed friendly enough, Noelle could sense an edge of unease in their eyes. Beside them was Micah, who was clearly male. He sat a foot taller than the rest and had the build to match. His uniform had been modified so he wore a tank top instead of the grey t-shirt and Noelle was fairly certain it was because his biceps wouldn't fit into sleeves. He kept his hair cropped close to his head for the full "G.I. Joe" affect. To complete the toy chest was Rachel to his right, who had clearly been the model for Barbie. She had a slim but fit figure that any model would envy, but instead of the typical blonde locks she had glossy raven hair. Her blue eyes watched the crowd in a continuous scan for danger. While Noelle knew the body-builder man was intimidating in size, it was the woman's cautious gaze and quiet observance that scared her the most. She of all people knew how much more powerful a person's mental strength could be than any physical strength.

The group talked easily as friends would, covering the day's events and any teasing that hadn't been done yet. Most of the conversation was lead by Micah and Taz, who jokingly shoved and teased each other like old friends. After some time, Micah's attention fell to Noelle. "So Noelle, tell us about yourself. I've been dying to talk to somebody who isn't wearing blue."

She paused, mouth wide open to accept the bite she was about to could feel Bryce slightly tense next to her, though he remained outwardly normal. She set her fork back down slowly to give her another moment to think. She had always liked talking to people, but having to hide powers and health issues was exhausting and had lead to a more introverted lifestyle. She smiled at the others, "Well, there's not much to tell. Like Johnson said, I work in the hospital. Which does mean I'm free from the blue, though not free from uniform." This got a little chuckle from everybody. She knew he would probably pry farther, so she turned the conversation away from herself. "What about all of you, where do you work?" Taz spoke first, "Ben, Bryce, and I all work down in maintenance. Basically, we make sure the whole operation stays up in the air."

Ben spoke up, "And that the toilets run."

Noelle laughed and Taz smacked him on the arm. Noelle put her hand on her heart and gave him a look, "And for that I am forever grateful."

They all laughed again and Noelle felt Bryce try to hold back a smirk.

Micah spoke up next. "Rachel and I work in technology. She helps enter the data for our landings and takeoffs and I make sure the cloaking device stays active." He said it in a carefree way, though you could tell he felt his job was of high importance.

Noelle stared at him for a minute before snapping her fingers. "I knew I recognized you!" They all stared at her questioningly. "You were the one that Stark caught playing Galaga!"

Micah's friendly demeanor began to fall and a blush spread across his face. The others stared at him and then began to laugh loudly. Even Rachel let out a small laugh. Noelle caught the death glare Micah was sending her and swallowed any laugh she may have let out. Shit, there I go again.

Before she could apologize, she heard a voice behind her. "Ms. Norris, I have a delivery for you."

She thanked the woman officer and grabbed the package that was handed to her. She could feel the eyes of the others on her. It was a large, long box. On top was a note that read, "For the Baby Bunny". Noelle was puzzled for a minute before remembering her conversation with Stark the day before. She completely forgot the group she sat with and stood up excitedly. "Please excuse me, I have to go. It was nice meeting you all." She received "nice to meet you's" from all but Micah, who was still debating whether it was truly nice to meet her. As an afterthought, she turned to Bryce. "Would you like to come with me? I think you'll like what I've got."

He looked at her questioningly but followed, giving a nod to his friends. Noelle nearly ran down the hall; walking so fast that even Bryce had to walk faster on his long legs. They made it to her room in record time and she opened the door. Bryce hesitated before entering her apartments. "Wait here," she called over her shoulder as she made her way to her room with her box.

Five minutes later she stood in front of a mirror. Her previous clothes lay discarded on the floor in heaps. She stared at her new outfit. From a distance it looked like her everyday outfit: black boots, purple leggings, and a black dress that went to right above her knee. But on a closer look you could see that it was made of thick, odd fibers that wove together in a protective shell. It looked similar to the same fabric Natasha wore, but much less form fitting. The leggings were made of the same material as well. The boots were made to look normal too, though she could feel they were slightly heavier. When she rapped her knuckles on them she nearly screamed. It was incredibly deceiving how hard they were. She picked up the smaller box and note that had been beneath the armor and exited her room. She felt bad for making Johnson wait so long.

She found him reading one of her favorite books from her shelf. "Sherlock Holmes. That's a good choice."

He quickly shut the book and put it back in its place. "Sorry, just curious."

She chuckled, "No worries, you can borrow it if you want."

He thanked her and took the book. "So, what did you want to show me." He looked her up and down. "New clothes?"

She smiled at him mischievously. "Actually, I wanted to borrow you. I need a favor."

He looked at her cautiously. "What is it?"

"Hit me."

He stared at her in surprise. "W-what?"

"Hit me. As hard as you can, in the stomach."

He shook his head, "Um no, I'm not trying to break you."

She crossed her arms and cocked an eyebrow at him. "Come on Johnson, I don't have all day." She put her arms by her side and braced herself.

He stared at her in disbelief. She watched him search her face for uncertainty, but when he found none he shrugged. "Fine, but don't cry to me when it hurts."

Faster than she had expected he struck her. The blow landed squarely in the middle of her stomach. Without her protective clothing such a punch would have sent her to the floor. Instead, she felt only the slightest pressure and had to step back from the force. Bryce stared at her. "What… what is that?"

She smiled at him broadly. "This," she gestured to her dress, "is armor. It's so I don't die."

He took the edge of her dress in his hands and felt it between his thumb and finger. "Wow, that's incredible. How did you get it?" She handed him the card that had come with it. "For the baby bunny. " He looked at her questioningly, "'Baby bunny'?"

Noelle blushed slightly and shook her head, "Oh it's just Stark being an ass, as usual."

Johnson cocked an eyebrow but didn't question further. "Well either way, that's going to be a big help in battle. Especially if you keep training in hand-to-hand combat."

"Except," she stopped him, "that I may never enter a fight. I still haven't agreed. I told Stark that, but he never listens."

Bryce gave her a serious look. "It's your choice. Battle is never something one should choose to enter for fun. But I think you should consider it. I might not have said that before I saw you in the training room, but I'm more than convinced that you would be useful."

Noelle shrugged and he dropped the subject. Now that she had shown off her new gear, her curiosity turned to the small box. She opened it and stared at it questioningly.

"A tiara?" The piece inside was a slender, silver circular piece. The front was a V pointing downwards, with a black gem in the center. She put it on and it wrapped around her forehead. She waited. Surely Stark wouldn't send me random jewelry?

"Hello, Ms. Norris". A familiar voice sounded in her ear.

"JARVIS!" Noelle jumped and then beamed. Bryce stared at her in confusion. She motioned for him to come closer so he could hear the voice in her head. He stood with his ear almost pressing her's and she tried not to blush. Sure hope I remembered deodorant today.

"So glad to see you're enjoying your new armor." JARVIS continued. Bryce's eyes widened. "Mr. Stark and I were very pleased with our final work. This head piece is designed to not only help you remain in contact with the team and myself during missions, but it also is a stylish way to keep your hair out of your way during a fight."

Noelle chuckled, "Wow, you guys thought of everything."

"That's why he made me. Glad to know my work is satisfactory. You may also note that your suit will go over regular clothes. Simply press the back of your collar and it will fold into itself, remaining attached as a small square to whatever clothes you are wearing. Press it again so that it will unfold."

Bryce seemed to move without thinking, reaching his hand under her hair, intending to touch the back of her collar. In a panic, Noelle remembered she wasn't wearing clothes underneath. She grabbed his wrist and twisted without thinking, using one of Natasha's moves to send him spinning backwards.

He shot back around as she stared at her hand in disbelief. "What the hell was that for?"

She blushed and kept her eyes down."I…. I didn't know it could go over clothes."

Now it was his turn to blush. He returned to his old granite self. "Well then. I'm glad you did that."

She nodded. "Thank you for everything, JARVIS."

"You've just received a new message. You are wanted in the control deck for an urgent debriefing."

Noelle nodded. She turned to Bryce, I'm sorry, I'm needed somewhere. But I thought you'd enjoy seeing my new suit."

He smiled, though it was still obvious that he was embarrassed about his earlier actions. "Absolutely, I've never seen anything like it. And.. it's good to know you'll be protected." He stared over her head as if he hoped that it would pass over her ears. She nodded and before she could comment, he turned and left the room. What was that about?

CHAPTER 12

Noelle entered the control room and found nobody. The crew of blue suits either ignored her or looked at her questioningly from their seats below. Odd. She waited for a minute and when she remained the only person, she decided to search for them.

The first place she thought to look was Banner and Stark's lab, and was glad to find that she was right. The two of them and Fury were all inside. She walked through the doors and began to greet them, but her smile faded.

"You're supposed to be locating the Tesseract." Fury said angrily. Noelle looked behind them and saw Loki's scepter, trying to figure out was what happening. An energy radiated from it, swirling with emotion and power. She had never encountered it before, but she could feel it seeping into her very being. She pushed the energy from her and was surprised that it obeyed.'

Banner and Stark stood opposite Fury with their backs to the scepter. Banner replied, "We are. The model's locked and we're sweeping for the signature now. When we get a hit, we'll have the location within half a mile."

Tony added, "Yeah, then you get your Cube back. No muss, no fuss. And Noelle here, nice suit by the way," he turned everyone's attention to her, "will be able to learn about what…" the screen in front of him beeped," Phase II is."

Noelle looked at him questioningly. "What is Phase II?"

Tony clapped and she could tell she played right into his hand. "Perfect question!" He turned the screen so that Fury could see its contents. "Shall I answer that or will you do us the honor?"

Fury opened his mouth to speak, but the door behind him slid open. Noelle turned to see Rogers entering.

He slammed a large gun onto the table. "Phase II is S.H.I.E.L.D. uses the Cube to make weapons." He looked at Stark and Banner. "Sorry, computer was moving a little slow for me."

Noelle's eyes widened at what he was saying. Looking at the gun and Starks' screen, she could see where the energy from the Tesseract would be placed. While she didn't know much about it, she knew how much trouble it had already caused.

She spoke, barely above a whisper, "Weaponizing the Tesseract...Isn't that the same thing Loki is doing? The reason we are calling him evil?" She made eye contact with Fury and he held her gaze. Clearly he had no remorse.

"Look," he started, less in the way that a child would explain a wrongdoing and more so like a parent trying to simplify an idea to a child, "We gathered everything related to the Tesseract. That doesn't mean that we're making…"

"I'm sorry, what were you lying?" Stark interrupted. He turned his screen around to reveal his newest discovery. As they all watched, the computer showed S.H.I.E.L.D.'s plan to build a missile out of Tesseract energy. The room began to buzz at the realization of the monstrosity.

Natasha and Thor walked in just in time to watch the chaos unfold. "I was wrong Director," said Rogers pointedly. "The world hasn't changed a bit."

Banner looked to Natasha. "Did you know about this?" Noelle was caught off guard when Natasha directed her attention to Banner and not the drama unfolding before them. "Think about removing yourself from this environment, Doctor?"

He looked at her and chuckled with disbelief. "I was in Calcutta. I was pretty well removed."

Natasha continued, "Loki is manipulating you." As she said it, Noelle could feel how the energy from the scepter was seeping into everyone, especially Banner.

Banner turned as if to go back to work, "And you've been doing what, exactly?"

Her tone quickened, bringing his attention back to her. "You didn't come here because I bat my eyelashes at you."

"Yes, and I'm not leaving because suddenly you get a little twitchy." He grabbed Stark's screen and pointed it at Fury again. "I'd like to know why Shield is using the Tesseract to build weapons of mass destruction. "

The room was silent, all eyes on Fury. He heaved his shoulders and pointed to Thor. "Because of him."

Noelle was just as stunned as Thor. "Me?", said the giant man.

Fury looked at them all as he explained, "Last year, Earth had a visitor from another planet who had a grudge match that leveled a small town. We learned that not only are we not alone, but we are hopelessly, hilariously, outgunned."

Thor's relaxed stance tightened. "My people want nothing but peace with your planet."

"But you're not the only people out there, are you?" Fury's words punched Noelle in the gut. She couldn't imagine the chaos of a war with a highly advanced race. She could barely imagine a war with just one weird guy with a glow stick. Fury continued, "and.. you're not the only threat. The world's filling up with people who can't be matched. Look at Noelle," No please don't look at Noelle. All eyes turned to her and her heart sank. "Behind those innocent eyes is more power than we have ever seen in a human being. If she chose to kill this entire ship, we'd be gone in three seconds. How do we fight that? You can't control that."

Stark interrupted angrily, "Like you controlled the cube?"

Thor began to pace. "Your work with the Tesseract is what drew Loki to it, and his allies. It is a signal to all the realms that the Earth is ready for a higher form of war."

"A higher form?" Noelle and Rogers said at the same time.

Fury argued back, "You forced our hand. We had to come up with.."

"A nuclear deterrent." Stark finished for him. "Because that always calms everything right down."

Fury's one eye glared at him. "Remind me again how you made your fortune, Stark."

Rogers, ever the commander, stepped in. "I'm sure if Stark still made weapons he'd be neck deep in.."

"Hold on, hold on. How is this how about me?"

The room went into chaos. Noelle stood silently watching the whole thing. She looked at Loki's scepter, still able to see the energy flowing from it. As she watched, it twisted and twirled its way through each team member in the room. It finally dawned on her what was happening.

"STOP!" The room turned to look at her in unison. She held her ground as they stared at her furiously. "This isn't you. The scepter is twisting your thoughts to Loki's will. I can see the energy twisting around you. All this fighting is exactly what he wants."

Banner nodded and gestured around the room, "Makes sense, we're a chemical mixture that makes chaos. We're.. a time bomb." Noelle could tell he had heard those words before. Of course he has.

"Please listen to me," she begged. "This room isn't safe. Leave and we can talk about this after the effects have worn off."

Everyone stood still, but Fury finally nodded. "Fine." He turned to leave the room, intending for the others to follow.

Noelle was filled with relief. She hoped that without Loki's influence they would all be able to calm down. This was her team and it would stay that way as long as she could help it.

She took a step to leave the room but was rocked by an explosion. It sent everyone flying across the room. The distraction caused Noelle to lose her focus and suddenly every aura on the ship came flooding into her mind. She could see where the explosion was and was horrified to see several lights dim and vanish. I have to get to the hospital. Using all her effort, she pushed the lights away again until she only saw her own.

When Noelle finally looked up, only Fury, Thor, and herself were left in the room. Fury spoke into his earpiece, talking to his agents to figure out the problem. He left the room giving orders. Noelle looked down a hole to her left and saw Natasha and Banner, heaving a sigh of relief. But the relief didn't last long. She could see Natasha moving and focused on her aura. She was mostly orange from being thrown around, but nothing serious. However, her foot was trapped under a fallen beam.

What took her breath away was how quickly Banner's aura was changing. From the slight green tint, it had now become bright green and swirled around him. His body was also visibly changing: twitching and convulsing. She could tell he was trying to fight the change but it was overpowering him. If he changes, Natasha's dead. Her mind raced at the possibility of losing another friend so soon after Betty. Not again. She closed her eyes and focused all her energy on helping Banner, the real Banner, subdue the energy. They both worked together to fight it, the force of it throwing Banner onto the floor below their landing place. She could hear him groaning with effort. It bought Natasha enough time to push the beam off herself and get to her feet.

Noelle screamed as the blinding green aura pushed one last time and Banner was lost to them. She looked at Natasha's steely face and saw terror. Run. Noelle willed her friend to move, and was relieved to find her mental prompting answered. The woman began to run up the metal walkway behind her, leading the Hulk farther into the ship. Noelle lost sight of them, though their auras were still visible. She could here the bashing and clanging of the Hulk ripping the ship apart to kill her friend.

Time to test out this new suit. Without thinking, Noelle jumped down and raced after them. She had never been in the underbelly of the ship, so she had to rely on the giant green aura to lead her way. Turn after turn she followed their trail. A plume of steam blocked her vision. Finally, she saw a flash of red hair. "Natasha!" Noelle screamed, closing the distance between them. She grabbed her friend's arm and they both pulled each other into a run once again.

Down a hall, to the left. Turn after turn they went, trying to keep the Hulk on the outskirts of the ship. Their sprint hcame to a head when they made a final right and realized the only path left was a long walkway leading into the interior ship holds. Without any turns or tricks to try to stop the Hulk's assault, Noelle knew it was likely that he would catch them. Guess I'll play bait then.

Noelle skidded to a stop and turned to face her attacker. Natasha turned to help her, but Noelle screamed, "Go! I can slow him down while you get help!" Natasha looked at her with concern but seemed to agree, turning down the hall and running once again.

Noelle could feel the Hulk coming. She could hear him barreling down the hall they had just left. She closed her eyes and allowed her hands to swirl with red energy. She didn't want to kill him, but the only way to stop him would be to sap enough of his energy. And for that, she'd need a distraction.

The Hulk came barreling around the corner and Noelle threw her first ball of energy at him. Hulk screamed and came to a halt. She threw another and used the momentary pause to focus on his aura and siphon his energy into her own body. She knew too much would kill her, but if it didn't he would.

The Hulk whipped around and glared at her with eyes full of malice. Her mind went blank with terror and she silently thanked God she hadn't just peed herself. He was terrifying. She threw more of her painful red energy at him, using some of his siphoned energy to fuel the blasts. The Hulk roared and came at her. She continued to rapid fire more energy at him. Siphon. Throw. Siphon. Throw. Over and over she tried to slow him, but he steadily gained ground. Knowing he would reach her in mere inches, she began to throw all of her remaining energy into one last throw.

A loud crash sounded to her left and the wall exploded. She fell to the ground from the sheer force of it. When she looked up, the Hulk was gone and a "Hulk-sized" hole had appeared in the wall to her right. She opened her mind to try to find his energy and found him two rooms away, fighting with his attacker. Thor.

Noelle allowed herself a quick sigh of relief that she was still intact and then pushed herself up. She climbed through the giant hole carefully, keeping an eye on the fight between the behemoths. The two auras crashed about in the large room she was about to enter. As she was about to step foot inside, the Hulk threw Thor upwards into the remnants of Banner and Stark's lab. Noelle sighed, "How am I ever going to catch these guys?"

"Quite an unfair advantage, I agree." The British voice blared in her ear and she jumped.

"JARVIS!" Noelle smiled, glad that she wasn't alone. "I forgot about the earpiece, sorry."

"No worries, Miss. I'm afraid I have been sent to retrieve you. Agent Coulson has requested your help in containing Loki."

Noelle grimaced. "What about the Hulk?" As she spoke, she watched the giant green aura jump out the window and onto an enemy plane. She screamed in terror as they began to plummet out of her mind's reach and she lost him. She sat on the floor and hugged her knees to her chest, staring into nothing. My poor Dr. Banner.

After a minute had passed, Noelle remembered JARVIS's request and stood, wiping a freshly fallen tear from her cheek. "All right, where am I headed?"


	6. Chapter 13-14

CHAPTER 13

This chapter will be interesting because, like in chapter 7, we get to see a glimpse ~behind the scenes~ at how Noelle's powers change the outcomes of certain plot points and deaths. Just remember this is MY take on what Noelle would change, though it's far removed from cannon. Enjoy!

JARVIS directed Noelle down several halls and staircases towards the holding cell. She ran as fast as she could, though after all the running it was beginning to look like a slow gallop. She turned a corner as JARVIS directed her to and slammed into a body. She cursed herself for not being able to keep her sight open for auras and prevent crashes, yet here she was again. She looked up from where she now sat on the floor and found piercing blue eyes staring back.

"Noelle, where are you going?" Bryce helped her up and gave her a concerned look. She waved him off and heaved in deep breaths. It was a full minute before she could speak again.

"I have to go help Coulson in the holding cell. Where are you going?"

He held up a tool chest. "They've sent out urgent requests for maintenance on an outer engine. Apparently the blast blew it up and Iron Man is trying to fix it, but they need help from inside." He looked her over, noticing bruises she was only just now feeling and scrapes she hadn't yet healed. "Noelle...maybe you should go to the hospital. You might get hurt in all this. Whatever's going on is bigger than us."

Noelle laughed and smirked at him, "Hmm seems like something you'd want. Payback for all my tricks."

Suddenly the whole ship began to pitch to one side. Bryce grabbed a fixture on the wall next to where he stood and grabbed Noelle's hand before she fell into the opposite wall. Noelle felt her stomach fall as the ship lurched downwards. "We're falling." She whispered, terrified. Over her headpiece came Fury's voice. "It's Barton. He took our our systems. He's headed for the detention level. Does anybody copy?"

Natasha's faint voice appeared over the com. "This is agent Romanoff. Copy."

Noelle's eyes grew with panic. She heard Fury directing Stark to fix the engine faster, but she tuned them out from stress.

Her eyes shot to Johnson's. "I have to help my friends." The ship righted itself enough that they could both catch their footing, though it still pitched from side to side. He still held her hand.

"No, it's too dangerous. You need to find a way off this ship before we crash."

"But..."Her eyes pleaded with him. "I have to help." Bryce let go of her hand reluctantly.

He turned his face back to granite, but this time it seemed that he was trying to convince himself of his toughness. "Noelle please, be careful." He reached for her face as if to heal the scrapes he saw there, before realizing where they were. Dropping his hand, he grabbed his toolbox from the floor and started to walk the way she had come.

Noelle grabbed his hand, forcing him to turn to look at her. Bryce had been the most reluctant friend she had ever made, but a friend nonetheless. She thought of her sweet nurse and Banner and what she would have last liked to tell them. "Stay safe." With that simple parting she turned and ran again.

The ship tossed and turned as if they were back on the sea. It took all of Noelle's concentration just to keep herself upright. JARVIS interrupted her sprint after a few hallways. "Miss Norris, I'm afraid you are being redirected to the hospital wing. Apparently there was an incident with Loki."

Her steps didn't falter as she turned left and corrected her course to lead her to the hospital. Her mind began to race with possible "incidents", but she forced it to quiet.

She finally saw the hospital wing and cast her mind out to find her patient as she sprinted through the opening doors.

"Who is it, what happened?"

Lauren's face melted when she saw her concern, though her training helped her remain professional. She stood from the nurses' station and began leading Noelle to the back of the wing. "It's Coulson. Apparently he was stabbed by Loki's weapon but that's all Fury could tell us as he dragged him in."

Noelle's mind finally found the victim: covered in red and orange, with a giant black spot in the middle of his torso. The two ladies burst through the door to find a team of nurses and doctors already at work. Noelle pushed her way to his side and put her hands over her friend. His face was battered and swollen. He had blood and cuts all over his body. The doctors were already beginning to stop his gaping wound from bleeding, though there wasn't enough gauze on the carrier to completely end it. Noelle closed her eyes and let her hands glow. "Keep working," she said to no one in particular. It seemed impossible to save the agent, but Noelle could only think of one thing. I won't lose another friend.

Hours later, an exhausted Noelle sat at the conference table in the control deck. She had stumbled in, drunk from lack of sleep and sadness. She still had Coulson's blood on the sleeve of her armor.

Natasha walked in and found her staring into nothingness. "Noelle...are you ok? I couldn't find you after I ran to find Thor." She gave a look of concern, but Noelle seemed unable to look back at her. She continued to stare into nothing.

Natasha frowned with concern, but before she could say anything else, Stark and Rogers walked in. Noelle waited for Banner to enter before remembering that the Hulk had jumped from the plane. She had no idea where Thor was. While she had thought she was too numb to feel more pain, a sudden stab to her heart proved how wrong she was. She still couldn't bring herself to look away from the spot on the wall. She could barely make herself remember to blink.

Finally, she forced her eyes closed. The auras of the team, if they could even be called that now, surrounded her. Noelle could tell that they all had been hurt in one way or another, so she spent the last of her energy reserves to heal them. They all looked surprised as they felt their bodies heal, but it quickly turned to sadness as they looked at her blank face. While she usually could hide her own body's pain well, she had never been able to truly hide the pain of her heart.

She felt Fury's aura coming down the hall. Moments later, he entered the room. "These were in Coulson's jacket," he muttered, and she heard him throw something on the conference table. She opened her eyes to see what was so important. On the table lay a group of Captain America trading cards stained with blood. Coulson's blood. Fury directed his gaze to Rogers. "Guess he never did get you to sign them." Steve picked them off the table gingerly. Fury continued, "We're dead in the air up here. Communications. Location of the cube. Banner. Thor. I've got nothing for you." He gave a rueful chuckle. "I even lost my one good eye. Guess I had that coming."Everyone sat silently as he began to pace. "Yes, we were going to build an arsenal with the Tesseract. I never put all my chips on that number though, because I was playing something even riskier. There was an idea, Stark knows this, called THE AVENGERS INITIATIVE. The idea was to bring together a group of remarkable people, see if they could become something more. See if they could work together when we needed them to, to fight the battles that we never could. Phil Coulson died still believing in that idea.." Fury looked at them all once again," ...in heroes.

Noelle could feel the shock wave hit the room. Stark stood from his chair and left the room without a word.

Fury turned to leave as well before saying almost absentmindedly, "Well… it's an old fashioned notion."

CHAPTER 14

Noelle stayed in her chair as Natasha left, leaving her and Rogers to reflect on Fury's words. Noelle heard him mutter "old fashioned notion…" to himself and sigh. After several minutes passed, he spoke to her, though he did so without looking up from his spot at the table. "Thank you for healing me."

Noelle nodded and continued to stare off into space. "You know Rogers, my powers always seem like such a blessing to everyone else." She chuckled morosely. "Life has a funny way of proving you wrong…"

"This isn't your fault Noelle. He was dead already. You couldn't have saved him." Rogers said it with conviction. Noelle knew it was a lie.

"Has anyone ever told you about how I got my powers? I mean what really happened?"

Rogers stared at her with wide eyes. "No, I've only seen what's in your file."

Noelle shifted back in her seat. "I was 16. Typical American girl, living the American dream you fought so hard for." Her mind took her back in time. She spoke again, though now neither she nor Rogers could tell if she spoke to him or herself. "Only problem was that I was born with lots of health problems. Fibromyalgia, lupus, and eventually got IBS. Nothing too serious, but it caused me lots of pain. The worst part about it was that the doctors didn't seem to know what to do with me. Finally, I found a new doctor who believed I would be a great candidate for a new trial medicine. A cure all." Her voice was bitter as she spit out the last two words. "I spent 6 months in a hospital up north, taking two pills a day of my new miracle medicine. They said I was the best patient they had. Until I woke up one morning absolutely blind."

She paused and took a deep breath. "And then lights started to appear. Hundreds of them. Thousands of them. Everyone in the hospital beamed in my mind's eye. Doctors and nurses came running in as I screamed for help. It was like staring into the sun." She finally looked up at Rogers. "When you are being blinded by light, you turn the light off. So I did…."

She let the statement hang in the air between them. "4,000 people worked and stayed at that hospital that day. And because of me, they were gone," she snapped her fingers," like that."

Rogers stared at her in disbelief. "How.. how did you.." he seemed to think better of his original question. "How did you know you could heal?"

Noelle shrugged, "When the lights went out I was left blind, except for my own light. So I sat in bed and cried, willing my eyes to go back to normal. And then they just… did. I almost wish I would have left them alone." She shuddered. "It was when I opened my eyes and saw all my doctors and nurses staring at me with wide, dead eyes that I realized what I had done. I ran to the nearest phone and called the police, but everyone just called it an anonymous terrorist attack." She slammed her fist on the table and stood, wobbling slightly. "I murdered thousands of innocent people, Steve, and all they did was put me on a plane home as the hero survivor. So I'm sorry, Rogers, if I laugh when you say it's not my fault." She turned and walked out of the room, leaving him stunned. "It always is…"

Noelle walked briskly back to her cabin and began to throw her things into her suitcase. She touched the back of her neck so that her suit collapsed into its case, leaving only her street clothes underneath it and the headband-like tiara. She didn't know how she was getting off the carrier, she just knew she had to leave before she lost anyone else.

A knock came at her door. Natasha's voice sounded from the other side. "Noelle, open the door please."

The girl paused in contemplation. Finally, she sighed and slapped her hand on the wall, causing the door to slide open.

Natasha stood at the door with her hands at her sides. "What do you think you're doing?"

Noelle smirked, "I'm about to see how good my hitchhiking skills are." She cocked her head to the side. "Do you think pilot's want you to use your thumb or are air rules different?"

Natasha didn't budge. "Come with me. I have someone I want you to meet."

Noelle looked back at her half-filled suitcase and sighed, "Fine."

The two women walked silently down the halls. Workers scurried about, but no one seemed to feel like talking any more than was necessary. There was no laughter. Just work.

After several turns they finally reached a small room near the hospital. Natasha opened the door to a dark room. Noelle couldn't see well, but she could see a man's aura in the corner. While it was mostly yellow and orange, she could still see traces of blue energy outlining him. Tesseract energy.

The agent lead her forward. "Barton, this is Noelle Norris. She's the one I told you about." Natasha sat in a chair by the bed and directed Noelle to take the other one.

Barton's bloodshot eyes shot up to meet his guest. Noelle was astounded at how piercingly blue they were. His face was familiar, and she realized it was the face from Natasha's screen days before. "Thank you.." he whispered it as if worshipping a goddess.

She was startled. "Wha.. what?"

He stood, even though Natasha tried to force him to sit. "You saved that man whose eye I helped steal."

Natasha nodded, "She was also the one who realized that you had intentionally missed the major organs of the guards you shot. She's the reason no one blames you: we all can tell how hard you were fighting Loki's influence."

The man looked as tough as any of the Avengers, but his eyes brimmed with tears that never fell. "Thank you so much."

Noelle shrugged awkwardly. "No problem." She hesitated. "Would you like me to get rid of the last of Loki's energy?"

He nodded gratefully and lay back down on the cot. Noelle closed her eyes and her hands glowed yellow. Exhausted as she was, she was determined to help one last person before she left. She pushed away the blue energy still surrounding him and siphoned it into her own body, feeling it strengthen her. She then used it to heal his scrapes and scratches.

She opened her eyes to find him staring at her. "Amazing."

Natasha smiled. "Yes, she is."

Noelle shook her head and stood. "Glad you feel better." She turned to leave the room and Natasha followed her. The agent caught her by the arm as she turned down the hall back to her rooms.

"Noelle, please reconsider. We need you."

Noelle laughed, "No, you don't."

"Yes, we do," she returned forcefully. "Whether you think so or not, you're a part of this team. We need you right now not just for healing, but to help us beat Loki. You're the one who knew he was influencing us in the lab, you're the one who stopped the Hulk from killing me, and you're the one who can control the Tesseract's energy." Noelle looked at her feet. Natasha released her arm. "If you go I won't blame you, but we really do want you here. All of us do."

Noelle looked up and gave a half-hearted smile to her friend, "Goodbye Natasha. Thank you for everything." She turned and walked away, regretting it every step.


	7. Chapter 15-17

CHAPTER 15

"Ms. Norris, you are being called to the conference room." JARVIS told her as she marched back to her room.

"Sorry, JARVIS. I've got other plans." She opened her door and grabbed her suitcase. It was half full, but she hoped Natasha would have her things sent to.. well wherever she was going. She turned to leave but the picture of Nurse Betty and herself caught her eye. She took it off the wall and stared at it lovingly.

"Oh Betty, what am I supposed to do?" She looked at herself in the picture and smiled. She barely recognized herself. Though she had only been on the ship for a few weeks, the training and cafeteria food had helped her become more muscular. She touched a hand to her tiara. That was definitely a strange addition.

She thought of Stark and all the work he had done for her. "JARVIS?"

"Yes, ma'am?" The computer voice answered.

"How is Stark doing?"

The voiced hesitated. "Well… at the moment he is flying towards Stark Tower to confront Loki."

"He's WHAT?!" She yelled at him as if Stark could hear her.

"Yes and with a terrible plan, to say the least".

Noelle looked down at the picture of Betty. She thought of Thor, lost wherever he was. She remembered watching Banner fly out of the sky. Finally, she thought of Agent Coulson. Her heart ached.

Before she could talk herself out of it, she folded the picture and put it in the pocket of her shirt. She dropped her suitcase and ran from the room. "JARVIS…" She mentally kicked herself for saying it, "I'm going to need your help."

Lieutenant Johnson was lying on his back, trying to fix a hole under one of the ship's control panels, when Noelle burst in the room. "Johnson!" She yelled, causing him to jerk upwards and hit his head.

"Son of a bitch," he said angrily as he rubbed his head. He looked up at her. "What are you doing, Norris? Trying to give me a heart attack?"

She chuckled and silently healed his aching head. "If I wanted to do that, I'd do it my own way." She held out her hand and helped him up. "I need a favor."

He looked at her skeptically. "I'm not punching you again."

"No, this time I need a little more help than that. Can you fly a plane?"

"All crew be advised, we are 5 minutes from drop zone." Ben's voice came over the jet's intercom. Noelle looked around at the small group. Rachel sat at the co-pilot seat and Noelle guessed she was controlling more of the plane than Ben, who was obviously just loving the term "pilot".

Taz and Micah sat in the seats across from Bryce and Noelle after they had begged to come along.

"JARVIS, catch me up. What's going on down there?"

"It appears that Loki has set up the Tesseract on top of Stark towers. Tony is currently talking to him to buy the others time to join." Noelle shook her head. Dumbass probably doesn't even have his suit on. JARVIS continued, "Thor has also been spotted making his way to the scene." Noelle breathed a sigh of relief, glad that at least one of her lost ones had made it back. "You will enter into communication range with them in 15 seconds. Shall I inform Stark?"

Noelle hesitated, "No… no let me get there first. I don't want to distract them."

Bryce looked at her with concern. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

She grabbed his hand and held his gaze. "Absolutely sure."

Ben's voice appeared back over the intercom. "Drop zone in T-minus 1 minute."

Noelle released Bryce's hand and unbuckled her seatbelt. She stood and pushed the back of her neck, causing the suit to form around her. Taz and Micah stared at her, jaws dropping.

She looked at them all. "Thank you so much for your help." The wall behind her dropped open, revealing open air. Her hair spun around her like a curling tornado. She gave one last look to Bryce and turned towards the door. "JARVIS, I sure hope you're right about this." She took a breath and jumped.

Her breath was immediately sucked away as she plummeted towards the Manhattan buildings below. She could see Stark tower almost directly beneath her. Though she was far away, she could sense the tremendous energy of the Tesseract at the Tower's tip. JARVIS buzzed in her ear, though she could only barely hear him above the wind. "The suit is designed to hover Ms. Norris, not fly directly, so we must time this perfectly." Noelle nodded as if he could see and waited. "7 more seconds… 5…" The top of Stark Tower flew by and she headed for the ground. "3.. 2…" She squeezed her eyes shut, " 1…"

At his mark, Noelle pulled her body up so she seemed to be standing in mid air. The wrist and boots flared to life with small jets. She opened her eyes to find herself hovering mere feet from the ground. Noelle pointed her hands and feet down, signaling the jets to turn off, and she fell ungracefully to the ground. As she hit the pavement, she stumbled and landed on her knee. When she looked up, she found an entire street of Manhattan staring at her.

She stood and blushed, but remained firm. "Attention everyone," she yelled, trying to seem as if she was in charge. "You must leave this area. Stark Towers is about to blow up!" While she knew it seemed far fetched, she hoped she had earned some credit after falling from the sky.

Most people still stood frozen, some continued about their way as most New Yorkers do, and some hurried off to do as she said. Noelle looked at all of the people still standing there. "Hurry, go!" Stories above them all, a window was shattered and a body came hurtling towards the ground. Noelle looked up and caught a glimpse of a face. "Stark!"

The people around her now began to run, having suddenly decided to believe her. Noelle flicked her wrists to activate the jets. Nothing happened. "I'm sorry," JARVIS said, "The jets need a few minutes to refuel. Don't worry, I've got him." Noelle thought he sounded a bit smug.

As he said it, something came shooting out of the Tower. Noelle watched as it caught up to Stark and began wrapping around him. It finished enclosing him just before he hit the ground. He used his own jets to catch himself and landed beside her. "Nice suit," she said to him.

"Nice timing," he chirped back. He grabbed her hand and they shot upwards. He dropped her on a ledge next to a man she had never met, though she knew his face. Stark, now Iron Man, continued back upwards to where Noelle sensed Loki was standing.

Noelle turned and faced Eric Selvig. "Selvig, you need to shut it down."

He looked at her as if she was a small child. "You sound like Stark." Noelle closed her eyes and could see how the Tesseract's energy swirled around and through him. She began to pull the energy from him and he started towards her, the energy encouraging him to fight her. She let him advance, pulling the energy from him forcefully. He was within inches when she quieted it to a small outline. He paused and she took the opportunity to pull the last of it from him. She felt full of energy. Bursting with it. It made her feel alive and invincible. She could see how it would be too captivating an embrace to escape from without her powers.

She opened her eyes and found Selvig staring. "Thank you," he began to cry, "but it's too late."

As he said it, the Tesseract's energy swelled and knocked them off their feet. It shot into the sky, creating a giant portal like the one Loki had appeared from. Noelle screamed as the force of the energy blast flared brightly in her mind. She pushed it out as much as possible, but it was still blinding. She stood and found Selvig unconscious, though alive.

From behind her and farther up the tower, she could hear Stark and Loki arguing. Stark shot a blast at Loki and Noelle saw his aura fall. Stark flew down and landed beside her. Together, they watched as an army of alien beings began to pour from the sky's gaping hole. Noelle could sense that each one was powered by the Tesseract's energy. It flowed through them all. It made them more powerful.

They looked at each other and then back again. "Let's hope they're even smaller baby bunnies than I am."

Stark smirked at her comment and then shot into the sky, firing round after round of shots at the attackers. Noelle closed her eyes and concentrated. Though they were far away, all she had to do was snap their necks. It repulsed her, but she knew it was the only way. Her hands glowed black and soon they began to drop like flies. But even between herself and Stark, swarms escaped their grasp.

She could sense the chaos below as the escapees began to attack the people on the ground. She whispered in a panic into the com, "There's too many..."

CHAPTER 16

"Maybe I could be of some assistance?" The accent coming through the com wasn't of earth, but Noelle could have cried from happiness.

"Thor!" She heard a thud above her as the giant man landed.

"Loki!" The shout sounded like a father scolding a wayward son. Noelle spared a glance and saw the two brothers standing feet apart, arguing.

Several more aliens poured from the portal, so she was forced to turn back to her work. She could hear the two begin to fight, and with a flash of light the "K" of Stark Towers fell to the ground.

Noelle realized it was futile to focus on the incoming army, so she dropped her hands. Opening her eyes again, she surveyed the city to find where she could best help. As she did, she caught sight of an incoming SHIELD jet. Another familiar voice sang in her ear. "Stark, we're on your 3, headed northeast." Agent Natasha Romanoff knew how to make an enterance.

"What, did you stop for drive thru?" Stark retorted. "Swing up Park, I'm gonna lay them out for you."

Noelle watched as the jet turned and she saw a flash of the Iron Man suit as he did just that. The jet fired multiple rounds and killed his pursuers. It then turned and headed for the tower. "Good to see you too, Agent." Noelle said into the intercom.

Natasha replied and she could hear the smile in her voice, "Thought you had abandoned us, Norris. I'm glad you proved me wrong." Noelle smiled and then turned her attention to Loki. The Tesseract's energy swirled around him more than she had seen on anybody else. She began to pull it from him as he continued to fight Thor. When it became too much for her, she used the energy to lob shots of black energy at the portal. They were larger than any she had ever created and many of them hit a target without her aiming.

The jet pulled up to the tower and Noelle could see Barton piloting it. It pulled up to shoot at Loki, but he was faster. He shot from his scepter and took out one of the jet's engines. "No!" Noelle screamed as it's one engine helped it limp its way downwards. She pulled the last of the energy from Loki and cried out with effort.

"JARVIS?" She said through gritted teeth.

"They're ready," was the reply.

Noelle jumped from the building, using her velocity to help her glide towards where the jet had landed. As she had done before, she pulled up at the last second and let the small jets hover her over the ground. She dropped the last few feet and began running towards the wreckage. She could sense the movement of auras inside.

As she approached, the rear of the jet dropped open. Rogers stepped out, followed by Barton and Natasha. He was already giving orders and strategizing. The group stopped to incorporate her and then the four walked forward. "Nice to see you again, Noelle," Rogers said with a nod.

The group stood ready to spring into action but were stopped in their tracks by a loud groaning. Looking up, they saw a few more warriors escaping through the portal. Behind them appeared a behemoth like Noelle had never seen. It's giant, whale like body was coated in armor. It's jaws were the size of buildings. The group stared at it, frozen.

Noelle gave a small chuckle and nudged Barton with her elbow, "Hey, you won't see that on Animal Planet." Barton cocked an eyebrow at her and she wondered if he had begun to question her heroism.

Noelle closed her eyes and concentrated on the beast's giant aura, grunting with effort. "I.. I think I can kill it," she said through gritted teeth. As the team watched, the beast glided from the hole and neared the city. It's left fin twitched and then it fell from the sky. They turned to Noelle in wonderment. Her face was pouring sweat. "Wow, that was awful. Hope I never have to do that again." As she said it, two more giant's appeared from the portal.

"Why do I even open my mouth?" She said with a sigh. The team began running closer to the portal. As they neared the street beneath it, Noelle said into the com, "I've got one of them, but I need protection. And someone's got to kill the other one."

As she said it, more soldiers splintered off from the sides of the behemoth. "And… those guys, too."

Stark's voice sounded in her ear. "I've got the other guy. Has Banner shown up yet?"

"Banner?" Rogers voiced her own question.

"Just keep me posted," Stark said vaguely. Noelle was too focused on her huge target to be more curious about Banner, but she was hopeful that Stark was right. She saw Iron Man fly by, leading the second giant from the group. Noelle dropped her focus for a moment to kill an incoming group of Chitauri soldiers that had gotten too close. The ground around her exploded as they landed.

Her focus turned back to the giant. It had descended almost to the top of Stark Tower. She heard her group discussing tactics, and it was decided Rogers would go, leaving Natasha and Barton as her protectors. Barton proved himself early by taking out an entire group of attackers to their right.

Knowing she was now covered, Noelle closed her eyes and let her mind's eye see everything for her. She locked in on the giant's weakest point, it's neck, and began to rip its giant tendons apart. It screeched with pain. Writhing above her, it began to fall. Finally she tore through it's last muscles and pushed its bones apart, breaking its neck. She used its own energy from the Tesseract to refuel herself before it died.

It fell to the ground behind her with a giant thud. She searched for any auras that might have been crushed by it, but was pleased to find the streets were mostly beginning to empty.

The ground around her illuminated as Thor came crashing down, shooting lightning into the nearest enemy. Rogers came crashing in moments later, having just killed his most recent target. There was a pause in the action and the team gathered together.

The ground around them was littered with bodies, though Noelle was pleased to only see Chitari. Thor walked up to Rogers. "The field around the Cube is impenetrable."

"Thor's right," Stark agreed over their intercom. Noelle was becoming more and more grateful for how well he had planned her suit. "We've got to deal with these guys."

"How do we do this?" Natasha panted, searching for more attackers.

"As a team." Rogers was in full Captain America mode.

"I have unfinished business with Loki," Thor answered. Noelle could have hit him.

"Get in line," Barton said, semi-confrontationally.

"Save it," Rogers began to move. "He's going to keep this fight focused on us and that's what we need. It keeps these things from running wild." He turned back to the group. "We've got Stark up top, we're going to need.." He faded off, drowned out by the sound of a sputtering moped.

Noelle turned to see their guest and nearly fainted. "Banner!" She screamed, racing to hug him. He returned her hug awkwardly and she let him go.

The two walked to join the group. "Well, this all seems horrible."

"I've seen worse," Natasha responded with uneasy eyes. Noelle's mind flashed back to their escape from the Hulk.

"Sorry," he said bashfully.

"No," she added a bit of a smile, "we could use a little.. worse."

Rogers told Stark that Banner had arrived. "Just like you said," he added.

"Tell him to suit up." Um, no? "I'm bringing the party to you." As he said it, Noelle watched him fly around the Stark building, leading his giant alien fish right towards them.

"I.. I don't see how that's a party," Natasha stuttered as the giant crashed into a building.

Noelle smirked, "You clearly haven't been to the right parties."

The group braced themselves for the attack awaiting them. Banner began to walk forward. "Banner," the Captain started, "Now would be a good time for you to get angry."

"That's my secret, Captain," he turned back to Noelle with a glimmer in his eye, "I'm always angry." That's my line! Facing the giant, Noelle watched as Banner's energy swelled green again, though she could sense his control over it. With her own eyes she watched him become the giant Hulk, just as the monster approached. He held up his fist and punched, causing the giant to flip over. With a screech, it fell almost directly on top of the group, causing them to take cover.

Noelle couldn't find a place to hide, so she used one of her long-forgotten tricks. Concentrating quickly, she forced her atoms to obey and she became transparent. She was amazed that her armor reacted just as her skin would and became transparent. As the beast fell, its body fell through her and then slid to the side. Once the danger had passed, she returned herself to normal. Noelle watched as its energy faded and it died.

"I should have trademarked that," she said to the Hulk, who chuckled. Around them, the Chitauri warriors cried out in anger. The Hulk returned it with a roar that deafened Noelle. As he did so, the team of 7 turned their backs to each other, forming a complete ring. Each eye scanned for danger.

Noelle allowed herself a moment to reflect on how much her life had changed in just a few short weeks. That moment was broken as a new wave of enemies poured from the portal.

"Guys," Natasha warned them.

"Call it, Captain." Stark directed. Noelle was impressed that they were finally getting along.

Rogers stared at the hole. "Until we can close that portal, our priority is containment. Barton, I want you on that roof. Call out patterns and strays. Stark, you got the perimeter. Anything gets more than three blocks out, you turn it back or your turn it to ash."

Barton looked to Stark. "Wanna give me a lift?"

Stark grabbed him by the belt. "Right. Better clench up, Legolas."

To the remainder of the team, Rogers said, "Thor, you've gotta try to bottleneck that portal. You've got lightning." He gave him a smirk. "Light those bastards up."

Noelle mocked astonishment. "Captain, such language."

Rogers called her bluff, "You, young lady, are going up on that roof to try and stop the Tesseract." She frowned. "Natasha and I will stay here to keep the fighting going." He turned to their giant green friend. "And Hulk… Smash." The Hulk grinned and it reminded Noelle of Banner. He jumped into the sky, crashing into multiple warriors and causing as much havoc as possible.

Noelle raised her eyebrow at Thor, who grabbed her by the waist and began to swing his hammer. It swirled faster and faster until it propelled them into the sky. He dropped her on the ledge by the Tesseract and continued upwards. "Light 'em up, alien man." She called to him as he went.

She ran towards the machine the Tesseract was encased in. She could feel it's energy in full release. She searched for Selvig and found him sitting with his head between his knees. An inspection of his aura showed no signs of Tesseract influence. Loki's aura was nowhere to be found.

"How are you?" She asked him, kneeling beside him.

"I've been better. Felt like less of a terrible human being."

She comforted him, "The Tesseract is too strong. You didn't know what you were doing."

He looked up at her and she could see his self-pity. Suddenly, a light clicked on. "You know, maybe I did. I built in a safety to cut the power source. "

Noelle caught on, "Loki's scepter?"

Selvig nodded and looked down to the ledge below, "it might be able to close the portal. And I'm looking right at it."

Noelle began to leap down but was knocked down by a body plowing into her.

She grunted and shoved it off of her. She scrambled to her feet. "Loki," she gritted through her teeth.

He stood and cocked an eyebrow at her. "Don't believe we've had the honor of meeting."

Noelle smirked, "Yes, I had so hoped to keep it that way."

Loki charged her again and she dodged it, aiming to kick him in the side. She tried to focus on his aura, hoping to break his legs and capture him, but he kept appearing and disappearing in different spots. She kicked and twirled, but only barely made contact.

He suddenly appeared behind her and she gasped, knowing she had been too slow. He pulled a small knife from his belt to stab her, but he was halted by the barreling body of the Hulk slamming into him. The two went soaring through the glass of Stark Tower, landing in an inner room. Noelle took the opportunity to jump down and grab the scepter.

As she held it, it tried to wrap its energy around her. She pushed it away, not wanting any of its mind-bending effects. She flicked her wrists and the rockets flared to life, giving her enough propulsion to reach the next ledge.

But it wasn't enough. Noelle grabbed on to the edge with one hand, holding the scepter in the other. She could feel her joints crying with effort. The boosters tried to propel her, but they weren't strong enough to lift her. As she hung there, she was able to sense some of her friends. Most of them were currently being held down by enemies or hurting. And there was nothing she could do to help them.

CHAPTER 17

She cried out as her fingers began to slip. Just as she began to fall, strong hands grabbed her wrists. She looked up gratefully into the face of Natasha, and the two worked together to bring her onto the ledge. Noelle rolled onto her back and sat gasping from shock.

She turned her head just in time to see the Hulk throwing Loki around like a rag doll.

Good. She got to her feet and shook her muscles loose. She looked at Natasha. "That's gonna hurt tomorrow." The two women joined Dr. Selvig at the portal. "What do we do, Doc?"

He opened his computer and pointed to the cube. "Right at the crown!" Natasha and Noelle both pushed the scepter. The force field budged, but didn't let them through.

"I've got to sap its energy!" Noelle yelled to them over the sounds of chaos.

Natasha squinted at her through the wind that the portal emitted, "But it's too strong!"

Noelle ignored her and closed her eyes. She focused on the spot where the scepter and force field met. She began to pull the energy into herself. As the energy flowed into her, she screamed in pain. She began to feel full. Too full. Her skin seemed to stretch to hold her all in. Blue light began to beam from her skin, turning her into a disco ball. She screamed one last time and felt the scepter break through the barrier.

She fell to her knees, whimpering in agony. Her skin still bubbled with energy. When she opened her eyes, she saw nothing. She was blind once again.

Natasha spoke into her earpiece, "I can close it! Can you hear me? We can close the portal!"

"Do it!" Rogers ordered.

"Wait," Stark interrupted. "I've got a nuke coming in and it's going to blow in less than a minute. And I know right where to put it." Noelle looked at the portal with her mind's eye.

Rogers came back over the com, "Stark, you know that's a one way trip, right?"

Stark didn't answer. Noelle watched his aura whizz by, presumably holding the missile on his back. All she wanted to do was pass out, but she had to make sure he made it back through the opening.

As she watched, he soared through the opening and she lost him. "Natasha," she panicked, "Natasha I can't see him!"

The team waited with baited breaths for Stark to reappear. A large blast could be seen through the portal as the missile hit the enemy's ship. "Close it, before the blast reaches us." Rogers ordered.

"No!" Noelle screamed as Natasha pushed the scepter into the cube. The portal began to close rapidly. Using the last of her strength, Noelle held a human-sized portion of the portal open. She clamped her teeth together and screamed through them. When she thought she could hold it no longer, Stark's aura fell through the hole. Noelle released her hold on the portal and everything went black.

Noelle woke in a hospital bed, though she wasn't sure which hospital. She tried to look down but saw nothing, not even her aura. She couldn't even hear. She panicked and tried to move, but nothing budged.

An aura beside her put its hand out to comfort her, and she could feel it urging her to be calm. She tried to muster a retort about how they would like waking up blind and deaf, but found no lips to form the words.

With a dawning realization, Noelle understood why she could no longer see her own aura.

My body is… gone.

Her mind seemed to go blank at the thought. After a long while, she began to have questions. She recalled the fight and saving Stark, but couldn't remember anything after. How am I still thinking with no body?

She concentrated harder and realized that she did have a small aura, tucked into a small space at the head of the bed. My brain.

Noelle wondered at how it was possible for a brain to survive without a body. She allowed her mind to stretch to include the whole room and found that an energy source had been hooked to a box, which she was placed in. Tesseract energy.

Noelle's mind began to fade again as she fell back asleep, having had enough realizations for one day.

The next time Noelle awoke she was determined. Sleep had allowed her mind to clear enough to put all the pieces together.

Opening the Tesseract's force field and holding the portal open must have destroyed me, though my brain was somehow saved. Gross. Stark, or someone, must have realized the only way for me to heal myself was to give me an unlimited power source to work with. That's why I'm hooked to this box.

She widened her mind again to see her room and found the same aura sitting beside her bed. She could tell it was exhausted from sitting so long, so she healed its discomfort. The shape started at the sudden relief of pain and leaned forward as if to touch her. Somehow, it knew what she had done.

Noelle thought it all through again, as a human who is only a brain can do, and decided that she wanted to meet whoever her caretaker was. To do that, she would need a body. So Noelle set to work.

 **Two YEARS of work is finally done! I hope that if you have made it this far that means you love Noelle as much as I do. I have some ideas for continuing her story, but here's the catch. If I did, several things that happen in the other Avenger movies wouldn't happen. For example: when all of the other Avengers are about to fight in Civil War, she would just cause them all to be frozen and place until they talked it out. Boring, right? So if I countinued her story, the Universe would be slightly different. Please leave comments or PM me about whether you would or wouldn't want to keep reading if I did that. Thanks again for reading!**


	8. One-Shot: Black Aura

**Here is a one-shot I wrote to show what would happen if Noelle was evil. It takes place** ** _instead_** **the Civil War movie (So I recommend having watched it because spoilers ahead). I'm not super proud of the writing, but I just wanted to do a quick write-up that shows you a little more of Noelle's powers and why it's SO FREAKING HARD to decide whether I should keep writing her (see note below Chapter 17). Anyway, prepare to cry because Evil Noelle.**

Noelle opened her eyes for the first time in 6 months to find herself floating in water. She panicked and tried to swim, but realized that she was stuck in a human-sized container. She struck out with her mind but was unable to go any further than her container's walls. What's happening?

Her vision focused and she caught sight of a lab coat. The person it belonged to was jotting down notes of some kind, but refused to look at her. She banged on the glass, but he still remained solely focused on his notes.

Noelle tried to remember how she had gotten here. She thought back to Manhattan, when she had forced too much of the Tesseract's energy into herself and exploded. She remembered waking up in a hospital with no body. She had started to create her new body, and had been able to watch her guests sit by her side day after day. She could remember nothing after she had formed her collar bones.

This new place was much different than that hospital. She looked at the man in front of her again and determined to make him acknowledge her. Reaching up, she grabbed hold of her oxygen mask and pulled. She sucked in a breath just before water rushed onto her previously dry face.

Alarms began to buzz and the man finally looked at her. She glared back as he nonchalantly pressed buttons on the keyboard connected to her tank. The water began to drain. As it passed her mouth, she gasped for air. After only a few second, her feet were on the floor of her cylindrical prison.

"Good morning, Ms. Norris." The man had a distinctly German accent. It reminded her of the man whose eye she had healed after Loki ripped it out. It took her a moment to realize that he was speaking German to her, not English. And she understood him. "Welcome back to the land of the living."

She wished she could pull the water droplets from herself and be dry again, but she didn't want to reveal her powers to the man. "Where am I?" she asked. To add to the confusion, she found that she asked him in German. I don't know German.

He smiled at her and her stomach fell. It was not a kind smile. "You are in my lab. Sorry, but that's all I can tell you. Wouldn't want to give away too many secrets, now would I?"

She smiled at him with play innocence, "But then how will I ever find out how you got such luscious hair?" He glared at her and ran a hand over his balding hair.

Then he smiled again. "Very funny Noelle. Or should I call you 'Aura'?" Her eyes widened. "Yes, SHIELD's files told me lots about you."

Now it was her turn to glare. "What do you want with me?"

"You'll find that out in due time. But for now, I think you need some rest." He pushed a button on his keyboard and gas began to fill her chamber. She tried to push it away or seal up her lungs, but an electric shock from one of the cords connected to her broke her concentration. As her vision faded, she only saw the doctor, still taking his notes.

"Yes, I have perfected this…." "...it takes some time, but with enough pressure…."

"...Stark will regret the day he formed the Avengers…."

Voices faded in and out around Noelle. She recognized one as being the man in the lab coat, but the other voice didn't sound familiar. She realized that they were speaking German again. She also realized that she couldn't sense their auras… or her own. What have they done to me?

Her hand hurt and she twitched, revealing that she had awoken."Hello again," the man in the lab coat said. She realized her cover was blown, so she opened her eyes. She found two men staring down at her. The lab coat man was smiling heinously yet again. She was determined to not be afraid of him, so she nicknamed him "Snuggles".

To his companion, now named Bubbles, he said, "I have disabled her mental abilities, so there is no need to fear her." She jerked her hand to punch him, but realized she was strapped to a chair. A cold stare was what she settled for to convey her anger.

Bubbles looked at her. He was younger, though still much older than herself. He had a face that wouldn't make you look twice on the street. His eyes, however, showed deep sadness. "I am Barron Zemo." He looked her up and down. "I own you now."

"Nobody owns me." She said sternly.

"That is where I will prove you wrong." He looked to Snuggles. "Doctor Helmburg, shall we begin?"

The doctor nodded and went to a computer. Noelle watched as he typed a series of codes and then pulled wires from beneath it. She lay still, determined to prove her bravery, as he connected them to her. She pushed her mind out with all her might, but it remained stubbornly locked in her own skull.

Zemo pulled out a small notebook. "Here is how this will work. I will say these words and the doctor will give you a small shock. We will repeat this process until you give me full control over you. Understand?"

Noelle glared at him and refused to answer. Zemo nodded to the doctor and began reading from his notepad. As he did, the doctor pushed a button and Noelle was filled with electric current. She screamed through gritted teeth, her mind flashing back to her last incident. "Needle. Oven." Noelle bit through her tongue in an effort not to scream. "Lamp. Lion. Ether."

After the last word left his mouth, the doctor shut off the electricity. Zemo looked at her. "Will you serve me?"

She spat blood on his face. "Never."

He wiped the blood off and began again. "Needle. Oven. Lamp…" The process continued, with the voltage increasing every time they were forced to start over. Noelle soon lost the ability to hold in her screams. When the time came that Zemo no long told the doctor to turn off the electricity and read the words repeatedly, Noelle had lost control over her body. She twitched and convulsed, no longer hearing her own screams though she felt them rip from her throat.

It seemed to be an eternity later that the Barron read the words for the final time. He nodded his head again and the doctor turned the machine off. Noelle lay lifeless, having passed out. The two men left her there, strapped to the chair.

It was 5 days before Noelle finally told the doctor that she would serve him. Zemo looked her in the eyes, "I don't believe you." The doctor turned the electricity back on.

Noelle no longer screamed. She couldn't. She just lay in the chair and let silent tears roll down her face. She thought of her friends, her team, and how she wished with all her might that they would save her. But they never did.

Zemo seemed to read her mind. Instead of saying his normal chant, he brought himself low to her ear. "You've been here for months, and yet where are your friends? Why did they not save you?" He shifted his eyes to make them look kinder, though Noelle knew better. "You thought that they cared but they have left you here to die. Just like they did to my family. They don't care about people. They only care about themselves."

Noelle felt her very soul begin to break. He's right. No, she knew better. She had seen them sacrifice themselves for others over and over again. But…. Why have they not saved me?

Zemo saw the confusion in her eyes and nodded at the doctor. Noelle barely noticed the difference when the electricity shut off. "How many thousands have died because of their carelessness. They are the bad guys. And you're going to help me stop them."

He read the words again, this time without the electricity. "Needle. Oven. Lamp. Lion." Noelle's mind seemed to step aside, leaving a blank space where her own will should have been. "Ether."

Eyes that no longer belonged to her looked back at Zemo's. She held his gaze and heard herself say, "I am ready to serve you." And this time, even she believed it.

In a crowded cafe in Manhattan, Noelle sat and sipped her tea. She looked around at all the people near her. Their auras were bright yellow, like the lights of a Christmas tree. Before she had rebuilt her body, they would have tormented her. Time using only her brain had made her stronger.

She glanced at her watch. 11:29. She stood from her table, and walked outside into the warm sunshine. The shop opened up into a small square of shops. She made her way to the center. From where she stood, Stark towers could be seen in the the distance.

She glanced at her watch again. It's time. It was her voice in her ear, though it didn't truly belong to her. Pulling the energy from the nearby plants, she began to create a swarm of black energy around her. It encased her like a bubble, leaving her unharmed. As the energy built, she heard screams from those around her who had noticed the activity. She didn't give them time to fun far.

She released it, sending black death outwards. In mere seconds, she was surrounded for yards by the dead. Cold, blank eyes stared at her but she ignored them.

Stepping over a girl close to her age, she walked from the square and onto the sidewalk. A crowded street stretched before her. Several cars were crashed into others by victims who had been too close to her energy. Those who had survived were emerging from their cars. They stared at the strange girl. Many pulled out their phones to record her.

As they watched, her clothes seemed to melt away, leaving a black, flowing dress underneath. A tiara appeared on her head.

Noelle slowly looked around, making sure everyone saw her face. She found the closest camera, held by an old man with large glasses. She stared directly into the lens. "Tell Stark that the Black Aura wishes to speak to him." She gave them one last look before turning herself invisible, disappearing before their eyes. The people screamed as she calmly walked away from them, leaving the wake of death behind her. That should get their attention.

The Avengers sat, gathered in the conference room of the compound. Banner and Thor had been replaced by several new members: Vision, Wanda, Sam Wilson, and James Rhodes. The new recruits joined Natasha, Stark, and Rogers in watching the latest video of Noelle. The new members sat in horror as they watched the destruction she had caused. The old members sat in horror, trying to recognize anything in their old friend. She looked the same as she had before her destruction, but even through the screen they could tell it was not the same Noelle.

As the video ended, Natasha was the first to speak. "What happened to her?"

Stark typed on his watch and then displayed a video for the group to video from the top of Stark tower replayed her final minutes for the team to see. "For those who don't know, Noelle was on our team during the Manhattan incident. She destroyed herself to save the city.." he hesitated, ".. and me."

The video cut to surveillance footage of the room her brain was kept in. "Her brain was the only thing left. On the bright side, that was enough. She began to rebuild her body." The video sped forward in time, showing how she had reformed her skeleton, bit by bit, and then began to weave her skin and muscle around it. The video cut out as she finished her neckline. "She was only partially finished when she was taken from us. The people who stole her were smart: they did it while we were gone. Shut off the power." He stood and began to pace. "We've followed every lead, but we have absolutely nothing."

Vision interrupted, "How is it possible that she has suddenly appeared?"

Stark looked out the window. "I have no idea." He turned and faced the group, catching Rogers's and Natasha's eyes, "but that's what we're about to find out."

He turned back to the video on the wall, paused just before she vanished. "This video was a calling card. And it tells me she's not the same Noelle we knew." He turned back to the group. "Our job is to answer it."

Rogers looked up from his spot, "And how do we do that?"

Stark gave a small smile, "Isn't it you that always says I'm too flashy?"

Noelle woke up from a dead sleep to find the phone ringing. She looked around but didn't recognize the hotel she was in. How did I get here?

She answered the phone. "Hello?"

A German voice spoke back, "Needle. Oven. Lamp. Lion. Ether." Her mind shifted and her eyes hardened.

"I am ready to serve you." She answered back in German.

"Good, the Avengers have answered you. Turn on the news."

Noelle did so, clicking the remote. The news on her TV showed an interview with Tony Stark, dressed like a billionaire. "What do you have to say about the most recent video?" An interviewer asked him.

From his place at the mic stand, he answered, "Noelle was once a good friend of mine, and I intend to hear her out. That is why I am asking her to meet me. If she wishes to do that, she can go to where she first believed in aliens."

Noelle clicked the TV off. "Where is that, Hier Zemo?"

"Ask yourself."

Noelle sat in silence, trying to persuade herself, her real self, to tell her. It was quiet. "I do not know."

"Figure it out," his anger was quiet, but powerful. The line went dead. Noelle put it back on the hook and lay back down. When she slept again, she dreamt of her old life. Thor's face, in particular, stuck out.

When morning came, she knew where she must go.

"Do you think she'll come?" Rogers asked.

Natasha and Tony stood beside him in the desert heat. No one answered him. It was just the three of them, alone in the wasteland that Thor's landing had created. A few building still stood, though just barely. They were all dressed in their suits, though Tony kept his helmet off. They didn't want Noelle to think they were here to fight, but they also didn't want to be unprepared.

Tony looked down at the hand of his suit. When he looked up, Noelle stood in front of them. She looked no different from their last time together. The only difference was her outfit. The black dress suited her, though it made him think back to her suit, which hung in its case at the compound. The tiara, however, looked the same. But the original, too, was at the compound.

Her cold eyes scanned them all. When she smiled, it was not kindly. "Hello, old friends." The last word was said as if she intended to rewrite its definition in the dictionary.

Stark cocked an eyebrow at her. "You know, if you didn't like your room I could have easily changed it. I am the best host, after all."

She smirked, "Sorry, purple just isn't my color anymore."

Natasha took a step forward. "Noelle, what happened to you."

Her fists clenched slightly. "I was shown the truth." All of their minds took them back to Loki saying those exact words. "I once believed that I fought for the good guys." She glared at Tony. "I was wrong."

Rogers scolded her like a child, "We are the good guys. You are, too. Who told you we aren't?"

She raised her arm, creating the Hydra symbol in the air above it. Rogers' face hardened. Noelle let it hang there. "You left me to die. They saved me."

"They brainwashed you," Rogers argued.

"They showed me what we had done. What you have been doing since I've been gone. How many people have you killed while trying to 'save' the world?" She spit the words out with venom, her voice rising. "You have only managed to save yourselves. And that should have included me." The Hydra symbol was now growing and rising, swirling around her hand in inky blackness. The Rogers took defensive stances. "But it didn't." She whispered so they could just barely hear it.

"Noelle, we can fix this. Just talk to us." Natasha pleaded.

Noelle laughed, "You can't, but I can." With that, she threw the ball of energy from her hand at the group. They all jumped to the side, barely missed by the deadly energy. Tony pointed his Iron Man arm at her, but couldn't bring himself to shoot. Rogers stood with his shield in front and Natasha stood with her gun drawn. Both hesitated as well.

"Please don't make us do this!" Natasha begged.

Noelle answered by firing another shot at them. She lobbed more energy, causing the team to dodge and weave her. Rogers was the first to strike, deflecting the energy with his shield and throwing it at her. Noelle remained visible, but the shield passed through her. Natasha took a shot at her leg, but Noelle hardened herself so it bounced off.

Tony did the same with his arm ray, aiming for her arm. As the fire neared her, she caught it, spinning it in her hand. She shot it back at him. "Vision, bring out the rest of the team. We're going to need back up."

"On it, Tony", was the reply. A jet sounded overhead, getting closer and closer. Noelle continued to fire shots at them.

A jet appeared in the distance and Noelle sent a shot at it. It struck a wing and caught fire, forcing the craft to descend to the ground. It crashed only yards away from where they fought. Wanda, Vision, War Machine, and Falcon stepped out of it. They were also joined by Barton and Ant Man. Each member was dressed in full gear. Noelle halted her assault.

A boy in a spider suit tumbled out after them. "Woah, this is so cool! All the Avengers together!" The boy turned and saw Noelle. "How come it's always the hot chicks who are crazy?"

Wanda smacked him on the back of the head.

"Been awhile since I've flown in a plane", War Machine said, moving to stand next to Iron Man. Everyone else gathered in a haphazard half circle.

"Welcome back from retirement, Barton." Noelle said.

He nodded at her. "Wish I could say the same."

Stark's Iron Man face disappeared again, leaving his own out in the open. "Noelle, this is your last warning. Don't do this. Hydra has control of your mind."

Stop. A voice within her said. She ignored it. "Why would I do that, when I finally have what I wanted?"

"And what do you want?" Natasha asked.

Noelle smiled. "This, of course." As she said it, everyone realized they had fallen into her trap. The entire Avengers team lay before her.

"You can't possibly believe you could beat all of us?" Wanda asked.

Noelle lifted her hands. "Watch me."

The entire team froze, though not of their own will. They tried to move, but their bodies betrayed them. Noelle looked at Stark. "My master sends his greetings. He also asked that I make you watch as I destroy your life."

Wanda made a choking sound and then collapsed to the ground. "No!" Vision screamed, though he remained unable to move. Vision twitched, and evaporated.

Ant man had been caught mid-shrink. Noelle made him shrink, until he was nothing. She turned back to Tony.

"Why me?" Tony asked.

"Because you killed my family." From behind her, Zemo appeared. He clicked his watch and the portal he appeared from disappeared. He strode forward, past Noelle, and stood before Stark. "Do you like my new toy, Mr. Stark? I borrowed her from you." He ran a hand down Tony's frozen face. "Black Aura' has a lovely ring to it. She will be famous as the world's only… superhero." As he said it, Noelle stopped War Machine's heart and he fell to the ground.

"I know what it's like to lose family. And I know you're angry at me. But please, don't take it out on them! They're innocent!" Tony begged.

"Innocent?" Zemo laughed. "I have seen enough of the news to know that many would disagree." He gestured to Spider-Man, "Even this boy has allowed buildings to collapse around him while he saved his own friends." As he said it, Noelle caused the boy to age rapidly until he turned to dust. "He didn't even scream. How sad." Zemo smacked Stark across his now-tear stained face. "I hope you enjoy these last moments. I want them to haunt you in whatever hell you go to."

Falcon and Barton fell dead to the ground, leaving only Natasha, Steve, and Tony. "This isn't all of us. The Avengers won't die with us." Tony said sternly.

"Do you mean Banner?" Noelle cocked an eyebrow at him. "Or that little start up team in New York?" She laughed and stared him down. "Who do you think I practiced on." The horror of her words sank in.

She twitched her hand and Rogers began to make a choking noise. He spit up water. "You should have stayed in the water." Zemo said. Rogers spewed water until his eyes closed and he, too, fell dead.

Natasha's skin began to sweat blood. As she shriveled, she looked at Noelle. There was no hate there, just longing for her old friend. With a final scream, she fell to the ground.

Only Tony stood now, surrounded by his dead friends. Zemo snapped at Noelle and she did as they had practiced. She first pulled the energy from his legs, causing him to collapse. She worked her way up his body, leaving only enough of him functioning to keep him awake.

The Barron unzipped his pants. "Not quite what I wanted too see before I died." Stark quipped. Zemo shrugged and then relieved himself on Stark's face. When he was done, he zipped up and walked to Noelle. She gave Stark one last look before finally killing him.

Zemo pressed a hand to her wrist and she collapsed back into her old self. Lowering her hands, she looked in horror at the bodies surrounding her. "What… what did you make me do?!" She screamed.

He simply stood with his hands behind his back. "It was all you. I only showed you the way."

She whipped around on him and held up her hands. "I'm going to make you suffer."

He pulled a gun from behind his waist. "I already have." He held it to his chin and pulled the trigger, collapsing to the ground.

"No!" Noelle tried to stop him, but she was too late.

She ran to Stark and fell to her knees beside his corpse. His eyes were still open. She closed them and wiped the moisture from his face with her dress. She began to sob and held him to her chest. "What have I done...what have I done?"

Hours passed before she moved again. She grabbed the phone from Natasha's waist but found no signal. In desperation, she found a stick from the ground and wrote a note in the sand, confessing everything. When she was done, she used her powers to put all the remaining bodies into a straight line. She stood in front of it, scanning the faces of her loved ones. Finally, she lifted her hands. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. With that, she burst into flames. She refused to scream though the pain seared through her. Her final thought was of all her friends. See you on the other side.

And with that, the last Avenger fell.


	9. Bryce POV

This is a series of one-shots that show Bryce's view on Noelle.

Introductions- Chap. 5

Lieutenant Bryce Johnson sat next to his best friend, Taz. They were both supposed to be fixing a door that wouldn't slide open, but the buzz around the ship kept Taz distracted, leaving Bryce to fix it on his own. "...I've heard she's our age. They say she's one of the supers, but nobody knows what her powers are."

"I wish it was fixing doors… or that I had a helper." Bryce said with dry humor.

Taz picked up a screw driver as if to help but then resumed leaning against the wall. "It's got to be pretty powerful if she's joining SHIELD. I bet she's pretty dangerous."

Bryce touched his shoulder, remembering the last time he had met a super. The stench of rotting flesh clung in his memories and he almost gagged. He set his face and forced himself to return to his work. Taz was still listing all the super powers this new one could have.

"...maybe super strength? That would be hot." Bryce shrugged, finally screwing the final panel back in place. He stepped off the ladder and pushed the "Open" button. The door slid to the side. Taz clapped him on the back and threw the wrench into the tool box. "Good job, team."

Bryce cocked an eyebrow at his helper. "I don't think I want to be on a team with you anymore." He grabbed the toolbox from the floor.

Taz put an arm over his shoulder. "That's what you said before we played soccer in the 6th grade. But don't forget I was the one who scored the winning goal!"

Bryce laughed, "yeah, that was the only goal you made all season."

Taz stepped back and began walking away, "But what a goal it was." Bryce began to follow him, but the pair suddenly stopped in their tracks. A beautiful red headed woman was heading their way, clipping earring on to match her black dress. Her heels clicked on the linoleum floor. She was a stark contrast to the uniforms around her.

Bryce began to look away, but the woman's eyes caught his. She dropped her hands, having finished putting her earring in, and fished inside her small purse. She pulled out her badge and showed it to him. Natasha Romanoff. "Lieutenant, I need you to run an errand."

He looked at Taz, who took the toolbox from his hands and continued to walk down the hall. He knew he'd get lots of questions later. "Yes, ma'am."

"There's a woman waiting for me in the weight room. Tell Ms. Norris that I was called away, but I'll see her tonight when the ship lands." The woman put the badge away and returned to her strut down the hall. Over her shoulder she called, "She's never landed before, so give her a heads up."

Bryce turned and walked towards the gym, carefully focusing on only what Agent Romanoff had said lest he forget. He turned the corners absentmindedly, having memorized the ship's layout. As he rehearsed his lines in his head, a funny feeling struck him. Ms. Norris… where have I heard that before?

He dug in his pocket and found his phone. How do I know the name Norris? He sent to his group of friends. If Taz didn't know, Ben or Rachel probably would. Micah would just agree with Rachel.

A message from Rachel popped up. No clue.

Almost immediately after, Micah replied, Same here. Figured.

Taz's name popped up. That's the new girl!

The one with the powers? He sent back.

Yeah. If that's where that lady sent you, I'd be careful. She might be the newest Hulk and try to kill you. How helpful, Bryce thought.

He put his phone back in his pocket. As he neared the gym, his palms began to sweat. His mind took him back again to that night. His mother's corpse lay staring at him with wide eyes. Their house burned all around them, scorched by Totura, the sun demon. He could feel the heat creeping closer to him; how his tears evaporated off of his face before they could fall.

Strong arms swept him away, just as the roof collapsed. The black panther. His villages' hero fought the demon and killed it, though not before many others died.

The memory finally released him, though not without leaving a lingering sense of uneasiness. No matter the powers this new super human had, it could still be just as deadly. He steeled himself. It was his best defense, and he was good at it. He could feel his face turn to granite. As he rounded the corner to the gym's doors, he prepared to defend himself.

The doors opened for him and he found an empty gym. The breath he hadn't meant to hold in came out in an unsteady stream. Maybe she won't show up? No sooner had he thought it than a girl walked through the door opposite him. He was shocked at how… normal she looked. Cute, even. He had pictured someone like Agent Romanoff or Director Fury that stuck out in a crowd. Her mass of curly hair was the only thing that set her apart from the average girl his age.

They locked eyes and she scrunched her face with confusion. He walked towards her, trying to look as emotionless as possible. "Ms. Nelson." Wait shit is that her name? "Agent Romanoff sends her apologies, but she was called away on business."He noticed how her plump lips curved upwards, leaving the impression that she was permanently about to tell a joke. He found himself beginning to ramble and cursed his mouth. "I'm Lieutenant Johnson. She asked me to inform you that she was very sorry for the sudden interruption." She crossed her arms as if it would help her listen more intently, and he was yet again distracted by her. "I am also responsible for telling you that the ship will be landing tonight, so you should be prepared to brace yourself."

She nodded and smiled at him, and his mind went blank. She must have some kind of mind control powers. "Thank you. Why are we landing?"

Her words barely sank in. I have to go before she completely destroys my mind. He reverted back to his training days as if on autopilot. "I am sorry ma'am, but that is classified. Have a nice day." He turned sharply and walked quickly away. He could still feel her control on his mind. His daze made him miss a step and he tripped. He heard her giggle and he blushed. Well, at least we know her super powers now.

Healing Hands- Chapter 5

"So her powers were… what again?" Bryce sat among his friends. Rachel gave him a questioning look. She also had a distrust of supers and shared his unease.

"Mind control, but I don't know exactly. Talking to her made me feel.. out of body." He looked at his hands, still trying to gather his thoughts about the woman. He didn't see the look Taz and Rachel exchanged.

Ben was the first to voice what they were all thinking. "Are you sure you don't just have a crush on her?" Bryce punched him in the arm. "Ouch!" Ben rubbed his new bruise.

Growing up, Bryce had never had time to spend on girls. Once his mother died, he had spent months in a Wakandan orphanage before finally being a adopted by a couple in the U.S. He spent all of his time trying to prove his worth to his new parents: he got all A's in school, trained to be a black belt, and graduated from police academy at the age of 18.

He looked up and found his friends smirking at him. He stared back at them menacingly. While he wasn't the leader of the group, he was known as the tough could feel how much they were enjoying his embarrassment. "You're saying that a girl bats her eyes at me and all 3 years of my combat training just pack it's bags?"

Taz shrugged, "All we're saying is that it sounds like a crush. Maybe that's her power. Maybe you're a sucker."

Bryce sighed, "How about I show you?"

Micah eyed him, "And how would you do that?"

"I could get her to meet me. Pretend that I was sent to help her with the next take off. Agent Romanoff said she'd never been onboard for one." He figured they'd take his word for it before making him go through with the scheme.

Taz called his bluff. "Deal." Shit.

What the hell am I doing? Bryce stood outside of Ms. Norris' cabin. He held tightly to the card Rachel had made for him. Meet me on the deck at 5:30. He had timed the drop off to be just before landing, that way she would be distracted. He set it on the floor and knocked on the door before escaping back down the hall. He didn't want her to use her powers on him again and figure out what he was up to.

He turned down a hall just as he heard the door open, blending into the crowd. He could hear the countdown for the landing begin and headed towards his station. "3…" He made his way up the steps. It's going to be close. "2…" He tried to jump down the last few steps. Stairs were the last place any should be during a landing. "1…" The ship splashed into the water and took Bryce with it. He landed hard on his leg and rolled. He clutched it and lay on the floor. Damn, I did NOT time that right. He grit his teeth and tried to push himself up, but couldn't get his leg to support him.

He fished in he pocket and called Taz and Micah. They both came around the corner and helped him up. "What happened?" Taz asked with as much concern as curiosity. "This isn't like you. Must be the mind control." He was being mocked but found he had lost the ability to care. He was beginning to pass out from the pain and leaned even harder on his friends. Bryce was suddenly very thankful that Micah was one of the few people on the ship who was bigger than him. They helped him limp to the hospital wing.

They walked through the hospital's double doors and the nurses rushed to care for him. He sunk into the wheelchair they offered while still trying to maintain his composure. He began to black out, catching only a final glimpse of Taz beginning to flirt with a passing nurse. Now who has a crush? It was a petty thought, and it was his last for awhile.

Bryce woke an hour later to find a nurse scanning his leg. He winced as the pain rushed to greet him. The nurse moved to his I.V. and squirted something into it. "There, that should help you with the pain."

He nodded his thanks. "Is it broken?" He sat up higher in the bed and held in a groan of pain.

"Yes, very badly I'm afraid. The doctors think they may have to do surgery on it." She continued to shuffle around the room.

Bryce stared at the wall, trying to block out the pain. A new nurse came through the door. She turned as if to talk to someone behind her, "Here he is."

Bryce felt his whole body lock up when the girl walked in. The nurse smiled at him, oblivious to his apparent discomfort. "Bryce, this is Noelle. She's here to look at your leg." She gave them both another smile before leaving.

Bryce stared at the wall straight ahead, trying to not have thoughts for her to read. "No need to get up." She said with a chuckle. Was that a joke? Bryce wasn't sure how to process that. I bet she's trying to trick me. He forced himself to continue staring straight ahead. Noelle continued talking, more awkwardly now. "I guess you know about what I can do, I was hoping to help you if you'd let me. The nurse said it's a pretty bad break."

So she knows that I caught her reading my mind. But she hadn't killed him yet, so what was her game? He mentally warred with himself before finally answering her. "Fine. But I want you to tell me exactly what you're doing as you do it. I don't believe in magic or whatever it is you do, but I'd really appreciate keeping my leg."

Noelle bobbed her head and sat in the chair beside the bed. "Basically, I can tell your body to fix itself. I have to concentrate while I do it so I can't give you a play by play, but you'll be able to feel the bones fix as I do it. I'm sorry I can't explain it better, I mostly go by how I feel it, which doesn't compare to much. "

Thats.. a weird kind of mind control? Bryce began to doubt his theory. "Just try not to kill me I guess." He became lost in thought, wondering if he had been wrong about her powers. But why did I react like that?

She thrust her hands over his leg and the glowed bright yellow. He nearly jumped out of his skin at the sight. He tried to continue looking ahead, but when he noticed she had closed her eyes he had to sneak a peak. Her face was scrunched in concentration as her hands moved over his leg. Her long lashes cast small shadows over her freckled cheeks.

"Can you feel your bones moving?" she asked, interrupting his thoughts.

"Yeah. I'm also pretty sure you're making it hurt worse on purpose." Noelle chuckled and shook her head. It was a pleasant sound, like she was genuinely enjoying herself. He leaned back and closed his eyes. He could feel his bones shifting. It was very strange. He distracted himself by mentally reciting types of motorcycles. He had learned them all after his dad had bought one for them to work on when he turned 16. He caught himself wondering if Noelle liked motorcycles. He looked at her again, unable to help himself.

Her eyes popped open and he blushed. "Well humpty dumpty, I hope you'll be more careful next time." This time, he actually returned her smile, though his was still hesitant. He flicked his eyes up and found the entire hospital staff staring at them. She followed his eyesight and saw why he had returned to stone. It was her turn to blush. "Uh.. ta da?" The crowd chuckled.

A woman at the front stepped forward, and Bryce recognized her face from the chartbeside his bed. She introduced herself to Noelle. "Hi, I'm Dr. Johnson, Mr. Johnson's doctor." That's confusing. "Do you care if we do an x-ray so we can see what you did?" Noelle nodded and the doctor motioned at the crowd. Two nurses peeled off and went to go enact the orders. The doctor stepped to the bed and laid her hand on his leg. He started to wince before realizing it didn't hurt.

"Remarkable, it looks almost healthier than the other leg! How did you do this?" He found Noelle smirking at him.

"Oh, just found the right magic I guess." Cocky. He wasn't able to hold back the small smile that came. A nurse pushed her way in and unlocked the breaks on his hospital bed. She wheeled him away, but Noelle was caught in conversation and he couldn't thank her.

He sat back in the bed as the doctors did their scans. When it came back as being perfectly healed, his mind turned. Maybe I was wrong about her. He thought about his friends teasing him for having a crush. Shit.


	10. Bryce POV Part 2

Role reversal- Chap 8

Bryce lay flat on his stomach, fixing a broken fuel line. He usually ran through mental fight simulations while he fixed things, but he couldn't keep his mind on anything. He replayed his encounters with Noelle over and over again, trying to organize his feelings into categories that made sense. Planes came and went, rocking the ship in the night air. He loved being on deck while they flew, it made him feel free.

A jet came up quickly: hovering over the deck before touching down. Bryce happened to glance at it, noticing that it was the newest model of SHIELD jets. He was glad he did. Agent Coulson, the man who had recruited him, ran out of the back of the plane. The doors to the ship opened and a group of deck crew in suits came rushing to meet him, wheeling a hospital gurney between them. Bryce stood to see if they needed help and caught a glimpse of curly hair being loaded onto the stretcher. Noelle.

He dropped his tool onto the deck and ran after the group as they wheeled Noelle inside. He caught up and walked beside Coulson, matching his stride to the fast pace of the other man. "Agent Coulson, what happened?" His voice came out more strained than he had intended it to.

The agent barely looked up from his phone. "She healed a man's eye in Germany. It was so much effort that she passed out." Bryce stared at her face. She looked as if she was sleeping, though not peacefully. She had that same scrunch between her eyes. He wished that there was something he could do.

The group pushed itself through hospital doors that he had walked out of just hours before. The nurses took over, wheeling her into a room. They set to work in a well-trained dance around the patient. Bryce and Coulson stood nearby as outsiders. Coulson's phone rang and he stepped away to answer it.

Bryce noticed a chair in the room that seemed out of the way and edged his way to it. He plopped down and watched each move the nurses made, ensuring that Noelle was getting the best treatment. He sat like that for hours, twitching his leg in anticipation. He fell asleep without realizing he was tired, dreaming of Noelle's recovery.

"Hi, Noelle!" A loud welcoming penetrated his dreams. He woke with a small start. His eyes focused on the back of one of the nurses as she greeted Noelle. She's awake! Bryce sat up straight and felt the tension leave his body, though he kept himself stone face. He was embarrassed that she had found him asleep at the foot of her bed. How pathetic am I?

More nurses entered as the first continued, "How are you feeling?" The other two nurses began scanning the patient's body with machines.

Noelle's voice came out in a pitiful whisper, "Who let the Hulk get ahold of me?" She smiled and Bryce couldn't help but return it. At least she's already making jokes. Noelle winced in pain and Bryce sat forward as if to comfort her. The look passed and she looked back to her nurse. "Really though, what happened?"

The woman sat in the chair beside her bed. "Agent Coulson told us that you healed a man's eye, but when you were done you blacked out. They brought you here, but that was about 4 hours ago." Noelle nodded. She began to pull the covers back from her. Lauren put a hand out to stop her. "Woah there, what do you think you're doing?" Bryce thought the same thing.

Noelle pushed her hand away. "I have to check on the others. They may have gotten hurt in the fight." Bryce couldn't help himself anymore. It was clear that she wasn't ready to get up, and he wasn't quite sure he wanted her dying on him. He got up and put his hand gently on her shoulder.

"Ms. Norris." She looked up and he made his gaze intimidating. "The others are safe. You need to rest." She glared at him. He ignored it.

She crossed her arms and had a slight pout. She probably could get away with anything with that look. "Fine, but I want to see them. I promise I'm fine I'll just need some time to get my energy back." He looked at her skeptically. She seemed sure, but she used his own granite face to mask her pain. He knew the trick too well to fall for it.

"Let me at least get you a wheelchair and take you." They each stared at each other, but neither budged. Finally, she shrugged her shoulders.

"Deal. Just let me go see them." The nurses started to unplug her. Bryce turned and went to find her a wheelchair. From behind him he heard her yell, "And please get me some damn clothes!"

He found the wheelchair and asked the front desk nurse about clothes. She handed him a bag of clothes. "These are what she was wearing when she got here. We washed them for her."

Bryce grabbed them and tucked them under his arm. When he entered the room again, he found her trying to get up without him. He rushed forward and helped her into the chair. She nodded at him and tried to subtly catch her breath, but his trained eye noticed it. She looked at the bag under his arm and he handed it to her. "These were what you were wearing when you came in. We got you a fresh set. Your.. underthings were cleaned and put in here, too." Noelle groaned when she saw the blue and white uniform. Snatching it from his hand, she made her way to the bathroom.

He could hear her grunting with effort inside and wished he could help. He blushed when he realized what that would entail. He regained his composure as she came back out again. She tried to look angry at him, but her mouth turned up just enough that he knew he would be forgiven. She plopped into the wheelchair."All right Mr. Sourpuss, I'm ready to go." He gave a small smile and wheeled her to the elevator. She waved at the nurses they passed. Bryce hit the button for the elevator and pushed her inside.

Once the doors closed, Bryce tried to think of something to say. But the smell of her shampoo kept distracting him. "So… Why were you waiting on me to wake up?" Shit shit shit.

He returned to his "lieutenant mode". "I'm sorry if that bothered you, ma'am." His tone gave away that he did not at all care if it bothered her, and he was fine with that. "I went to thank you for healing me and was told you had been hospitalized." He paused. "I.. Assumed that you would need my assistance when you woke up." He knew it didn't sound super believable, but it was close enough to the truth.

"Well.. Thank you, Lieutenant." He nodded before realizing she couldn't see him.

"Yes, ma'am."

He watched her shoulders tighten. "Please don't call me that. Makes me feel old, you're not even much older than me." He glanced down at the wheel chair just as she did. "Actually, you pushing me in this makes me feel old. So let's cut one of those at least. Call me Noelle."

He was glad that her back was to him as he blushed. Really tired of this new blushing habit. "I.. If you insist. My name is Bryce. You can call me whatever you want."

Noelle gave a small smile. "I was pretty fond of Mr. Sourpuss. But I guess Bryce works, too." He smiled.

The elevator doors dinged and he pushed her out. They went down a familiar hallway and through the big glass doors. Bryce saw Agent Romanoff, along with other familiar faces. The crew had been briefed that they would be welcoming Captain Steve Rogers and Dr. Bruce Banner. It was strange to be in the same room as the two legends. A third man Bryce recognized from private Shield video he had watched. Thor?

"Oh my gosh, what happened to you?" Agent Romanoff got up from the round table where she, Rogers, and Banner were sitting.

"Oh… Just had to do some work", Noelle answered her friend. Bryce wondered why she didn't tell them about healing the man's eye. Modesty? Yet another piece to this unexpected puzzle. "How about you?" Bryce noticed that she closed her eyes as she said it. He wondered again what exactly her powers were. "What happened with Loki? Also.. Not to be rude, but isn't that his brother?"

They all glanced at each other. Thor smiled, "He's adopted." Noelle chuckled. Ha. Ha. Bryce didn't particularly love adoption jokes.

Noelle hesitated, which surprised Bryce, and then started again. "I know I'm not really on the team, but after seeing what he did, I really think I need to know what I'm dealing with. What if you call me in to heal and he's still there? Or what if.."

Natasha interrupted her. "Don't worry, we'll fill you in. Come join us." The agent glanced up at Bryce. "Thank you, Lieutenant. I can get her from here." He stepped back and gave a small salute, trying not to show his reluctance.

"Yes, ma'am." As he turned to go, he gave one last look of concern to Noelle.

She flashed him a smile. "Thanks, Bryce." He nodded and left. It took all his might not to stay with her, but he knew it wasn't his job. His thoughts stayed with her as he walked down the hall. In fact, they stayed with him until he saw her again hours later.


	11. Bryce POV part 3

Scary good- Chap. 9

He slept for only 3 hours before needing to move again. His leg that Noelle had healed felt so good that he felt he needed to move it. He went to the gym almost automatically, it having been his tradition ever since he had turned 15. He loved that he could completely zone out, which is exactly what he needed to sort out this Noelle business. He wondered exactly what her powers were. He warred with himself: a war between trusting her and staying the hell away from someone with powers.

He made it to the gym and found his way to the punching bag. He began to sway back and forth, just as his dad had taught him. His dad had told him to picture it as an enemy, but he always pictured the Black Panther. Not that he wanted to fight him, but instead wanted to be as strong as him.

He punched and kicked for what seemed like hours, though only minutes had passed. He lost himself deep in thought. "Well, Johnson, good to see you up and around." A familiar voice interrupted his next punch.

He turned to her and felt himself turn to stone. He still wasn't sure that she couldn't read minds, and he would be humiliated if she had heard what he had just been thinking about her. "Ms. Norris," he greeted her briskly.

She frowned at him. "Thought you had caved on calling me Noelle. I can go back to making up my own nicknames for you if you prefer."

He glared back at her teasing smile. "No. I only let my mother call me Mr. Sourpuss."

Noelle's eyebrows flew up in surprise. "Bryce… Bryce was that a joke I just heard?"

He shrugged his shoulders and went back to the suddenly important job of beating up a punching bag. Noelle laughed hard, and he almost cracked a smile at the sound. Glad she's feeling better. She walked over to a machine near him, but not so close that he could take a swipe at her, and leaned against it. He wasn't going to let her be that lucky. He went back to the punching bag.

"Johnson, I'm pretty good at what I do. But you have proven me wrong." She said it smugly and he knew by the look on her face that she was about to mock him. "I did a full scan of your body and didn't even come close to finding a funny bone. Guess you showed me."

Bryce punched the bag so hard that it flew backwards violently. As her attention fell to the violent movement of the bag, Bryce took the opportunity. In one swift movement, he had picked her up, spun her around, and placed her firmly but gently on her ass. Her first reaction was surprise, but it quickly turned into an only semi-serious anger. "Excuse you!" He began to laugh at the look on her face. She crossed her arms and glared at him. It only made him laugh harder.

Finally, she gave in. She stuck a hand in the air and he helped her up. He stared at their connected hands; his dark skin a deep contrast to her lighter tones. Her skin is so smooth. He realized too late that he had held her hand too long. He released it quickly.

Blushing, Noelle seemed to ignore his awkwardness. He was glad for that. "I'm sorry my humor intimidates you so much that you had to be violent."

Ha, you wish. "It's not that I'm intimidated. It's just that I felt you needed something to wipe that smug look off your face."

She laughed again and shook her head. "If that's what you say then I'll believe you." Her tone heavily suggested she did not believe him. "So, question."

His eyebrows lifted. "Shoot."

"I'm supposed to train my powers, but if I do it here I'll destroy the place. Do you know if they have a better place for it?"

The question brought him back to his earlier pondering about her powers. He thought for a moment. "Yeah, actually there's a separate arena for the heroes. Follow me I'll show you."

He lead her out the doors he had entered through and towards the lower belly of the ship. As they walked, he tried to think of something to ask her. He desperately wished to ask about her powers. "Hey, so do you kill things?" Doesn't really seem appropriate.

After several twists and turns, they came to some doors almost identical to the ones at the gym. When they opened, Noelle looked around questioningly. "What is this?"

Bryce pointed to a console on the far corner of the room. "I'm pretty sure we use that to activate it." He had only been trained to fix the new machinery, not run it, but he had a pretty good idea of how it worked.

The two made their way over. On it was a single, square panel. "Put your hand there." Noelle looked at him skeptically but did as she was told. As soon as her hand touched it, a female voice boomed over unseen speakers. "Welcome, Noelle Norris. In order to begin training, please enter a code name." Noelle looked at Johnson with a sense of panic. "What do I choose?"

He shrugged at her. "How about 'Healer' or something about your powers?" He hoped it would give him some insight.

She shook her head and thought. After a few moments, she said louder. "Code name: Aura."

Bryce nodded reassuringly. "Good one." What the hell does that mean?

The female voice responded. "Welcome, Aura. Which of your powers do you wish to train today: healing or other?"

"Other, I guess." Bryce tried to hide his question, but it still appeared on his face. She just shrugged back at him.

The computer continued, "Selected: other. The training will begin on the easiest setting and progress to a harder level as you defeat your opponent. The program will begin to adapt to your powers in order to create a program for you. When you wish to end the training, say 'End Training'. When you wish to begin, say 'Begin'. Are you ready to begin?"

Noelle looked at Bryce. He nodded and said, "There's a viewing room, I'll wait for you until you're done."

"Don't judge me too much, it's been a long time since I've done this."

He laughed a little at her concern. "Seems like a chance for me to get even since you judge me constantly."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Oh, shut up I do not."

His smile cocked to the side smugly. "If that's what you say, I'll believe it." He laughed again and exited the room. He made his way around the corner and into the viewing room. A screen lit up the wall. "Aura simulation beginning.." read across the screen.

As he watched, the screen changed to show Noelle in what used to be an empty room. Now, she was face to face with a man holding a knife. Bryce leaned forwards without realizing it, waiting to see what she would do. The computer voice gave the instructions, "Training objective: stop assailant."

Noelle's hands began to glow yellow, just as they had done when she healed his leg. She looked down and frowned before making them turn purple. What does purple do? He heard a sudden snap and the man's face twisted in agony. He fell mid-run and screamed. Holy shit.

Noelle looked on in horror. She began to back away. Bryce wondered if she even had meant to do that to the man. Two more identical copies of the original man appeared. The computer voice spoke again. "Level: 2. Training objective: Stop assailants." Her hands changed, beginning to darken until it seemed that a black mist surrounded them. All three men collapsed to the floor, dead. Bryce could only stare.

Training levels 3 through 6 went the same way. Each level added more men until she was fighting 20 at once. She's not even breaking a sweat. He was amazed. And terrified. The war that had raged in him since she had healed him swelled again. How can someone so good at healing also be so deadly? He thought back to the night he lost his mom and wondered which side Noelle would have taken.

At the end of level 6, the floor was littered with the dead. The bodies disappeared, just as the last ones had. But instead of more appearing, a new scenario unfolded. The room was pitch black. Dark, oppressing black. He would have lost sight of her if the screen hadn't changed to infrared. The computer interrupted. "Level: 7. Training Objective: defeat the enemy."

He watched as she whipped her head around, apparently unable to see the man standing in front of her. Before he could warn her, the man struck out and hit her square in the jaw. She went sprawling to the floor. He rose out of his seat to help her, but she was already back on her feet. He was surprised, most people only did that after training for a put two and two together from their first meeting and realized she must have trained with Agent Romanoff.

He moved to turn the simulation off,but the enemy fell dead just as suddenly as the ones before. Can she see in the dark? More questions about this strange woman. Two more levels of the same pitch dark; the men multiplied more quickly this time and in only two rounds she was back to fighting 20 men at a time.

Bryce noticed that she was gaining confidence. He didn't think she even looked tired. She finished the last of her recent batch and turned to find her next attacker. The simulation changed from pitch black and he was surprised to see her standing on a roof. Only one of the men stood in front of her, on the edge of the building.

"Level: 10. Training objective: save the child." Bryce watched as a child appeared next to the man. A little girl. Suddenly, the man grabbed the child and ran to the edge. He held the child over and she began to scream. "No!" Noelle screamed as the man laughed at their terror and dropped the child.

Noelle ran and jumped over the edge after the girl. Bryce got angry, though he wasn't sure why. He didn't like to think that she would so willingly throw away her own life. The anger dissipated quickly and changed to admiration. As he watched her struggle to save the child, panic on her own face, his mind quieted.

While he was by no means a fan of powers, her sacrifice confirmed what he had slowly been working towards. She wasn't just a good person, she used her powers to help the desperate. He knew who she would have helped the night he lost his mother.

He began to get nervous. How is she going to get out of this? She still didn't seem to have a plan and they were almost to the ground. They hit with a loud thud.. louder than he was expecting. He looked closer and noticed that her skin seemed tougher. As if she had turned herself to stone.

It took Noelle several seconds to open her eyes and Bryce got worried. When she finally did, she smiled widely at the unharmed child in her arms. Noelle opened her arms and the girl crawled out. When she got up, he realized the pavement had formed to her shape. She tried to stand, but her movements were slow and rigid. She seemed uncomfortable in her body.

After a few wiggles she was able to stand. Doing so made it look like she left a shadow behind her in the concrete. She looked around and the room turned black. "End Training". Bryce's screen changed to a list of statistics. The computer voice answered back, "Training Terminated. Statistics posted to file: Aura." He watched as it listed out various information from the amazing display he had just watched. At the end, it read off her powers. Healing- 0% training. Aura sensing- 67% trained. Defense- 90% trained. Body morphing- 10% trained.

It was an impressive list of abilities. He realized she would be out soon and left his viewing station. He closed the door just as she was coming to find him. He couldn't help but stare at her.

She frowned at the look on his face. "What?" He continued to stare at her searchingly. She got more annoyed. "Uh hello, can I help you?"

He shook his head. What have I gotten into? "Norris, you are one scary lady."

She punched him lightly on the arm. "Remember that the next time you try to fight me then." Her smile caused one to spread out on his face.

He liked that she automatically assumed they'd meet again. "Oh, I don't think I could ever forget what I just saw in there." His eyes focused on her jaw. He grabbed her face gently. He knew he shouldn't be in her space, but his worry made him more forward. "Speaking of, we probably should get some ice for you. You're starting to bruise." He caught himself wanting to draw her closer. He laughed inwardly, hating that his friends were probably right. He did like her, and more than a little. Too soon was he forced to let go. He blushed slightly, "Sorry, it's just a massive bruise."

Noelle touched it and winced. "What kind of simulation is that?"

"Something Stark invented. Fury was pretty excited to get his hands on it." He turned and lead her down the hallway. "I don't know the technology behind it but if Stark invented it, it must be pretty intense."

He lead her down the hallways to the hospital, allowing himself to just enjoy her company. After a few minutes, she asked him, "Where are we going?"

Bryce turned around. "To the hospital.." his eyes fell on her chin, now healed. "...of course." He was slightly embarrassed. "Sorry, I forgot you could do that."

She laughed, and then blushed. "My bad." He shook his head and began leading her down more hallways. I'll probably never get used to that. Within a minute they were back at her room. Another awkward silence, but he couldn't bring himself to walk away just yet. She looked up at him and smiled, "Well, thanks for showing me the training room. Sorry you had to watch all that."

He shook his head. "No, that really was incredible. If that was just a few levels of your talent I can't even begin to imagine what all you can do." He stared at her intently. Her eyes were brown, but bright and distracting. Beautiful.

She blushed and shrugged. "Well.. it's no big deal. Thanks again." She turned and opened the door. "Hope to see you around."

He smiled. "Count on it." He walked down the hall and continued to smile. This was the first time he had ever felt lost, scared, or confused since he had been adopted. But this time it came wrapped in a feeling of lightness. If this was a crush, he thought he liked it…


	12. Bryce POV final

New gear- chapter 10

Ben stared at Bryce as they stood in line for lunch. Bryce could feel it, but tried to ignore it as long as possible. He had made his face granite, there was nothing for him to see there. Finally, Ben turned to Taz behind him. "We've lost Bryce."

Taz nodded somberly, "I was just thinking the same thing."

Bryce cocked an eyebrow at them. "What the hell are you two talking about?"

Rachel answered him from her place in front of him. "Noelle. It's obvious you're in love with her."

He rolled his eyes, "I haven't even said anything! What makes you think that?" He thanked the last lunch woman to hand him food and turned with his group to find a spot to sit. Before they could answer him, he spied Noelle across the crowd. He had never seen her eating in the lunch room before. She looked around, not sure where to sit.

His friends looked at him, waiting for him to finish his thought. "That's her." He said, with a small nod. He knew he wasn't helping his case. They all tried to search for this strange woman through the crowd, but she was fairly good at blending in.

He walked towards her, pushing his way through the crowd. Just as she was turning to leave, he stuck a hand out and rested it carefully on her shoulder. He could sense his friends staring at them. "Would you like to eat with us?" He tried to keep his face granite so that his friends wouldn't mock him.

She looked at him as if confused that he would want her to join him. She looked past him at his friends. "Uhh, no it's ok I don't want to interrupt."

He gave her a small smirk where the others couldn't see. "If you insist, though I had never taken you to be such a considerate person."

She glared at him. "Fine, you win. I'd hate for you to think I'm considerate."

Bryce smirked before returning to granite. He turned her towards the awaiting group. "This is Noelle Norris, she works in the hospital." He had talked about her powers with Taz, but didn't think the rest needed to know. He then pointed at the group of four. "That's Rachel, Taz, Micah, and Ben."

The group of friends all turned and headed for a table that had just been vacated. Bryce and Noelle followed together, though an outsider would have thought they were strangers from their body language. He tried to remain as distant as possible so that his friends wouldn't make jokes.

They all sat and Bryce immediately tried to turn the attention away from himself. "So Rachel, super glad you only almost crashed the ship today." She threw a small piece of bread at him.

"To be fair, it was the system's fault, not mine." He was glad when it worked and the group all began to joke with each other. He tried not to look at Noelle, though he remained very aware of her form beside him.

The meal passed with relative ease before Micah's attention finally fell to Noelle. "So Noelle, tell us about yourself. I've been dying to talk to somebody who isn't wearing blue." Bryce stiffened.

She paused, mouth wide open to accept the bite she was about to take. She set it back down slowly, "Well, there's not much to tell. Like Bryce said, I work in the hospital. Which does mean I'm free from the blue, though not free from uniform." This got a little chuckle from everybody. "What about all of you, where do you work?"

Taz spoke first, "Ben, Bryce, and I all work down in maintenance. Basically, we make sure the whole operation stays up in the air."

Ben spoke up, "And that the toilets run." Bryce glared at him.

Noelle laughed and Taz smacked him on the arm. Noelle put her hand on her heart and gave him a look, "And for that I am forever grateful."

They all laughed again and he tried to hold back a smile. He had worried that his group would scare her away, but she took their humor in stride.

Micah spoke up next. "Rachel and I work in technology. She helps enter the data for our landings and takeoffs and I make sure the cloaking device stays active." He had always been ok with Micah, though they would sometimes butt heads. Micah was constantly wary of any man being around Rachel, and tried to seem more macho to prove himself.

He watched as Noelle squinted at Micah. Noelle stared at him for a minute before snapping her fingers. "I knew I recognized you!" They all stared at her questioningly. "You were the one that Stark caught playing Galaga!"

Micah's friendly demeanor began to fall and a blush spread across his face. The others stared at him and then began to laugh loudly. Even Rachel let out a small laugh. Bryce's laugh sprang out unexpectedly. She was the first person to ever catch Micah off guard.

The group was interrupted by a voice behind them. Taylor, a girl who worked for Systems, stood behind Noelle. "Ms. Norris, I have a delivery for you."

She thanked the woman officer and grabbed the package that was handed to her. Bryce peeked to see what the card said, but didn't catch it. Noelle stood up suddenly, more excited than Bryce had ever seen her. "Please excuse me, I have to go. It was nice meeting you all." Bryce looked at her in confusion and was slightly sad to see her go. She turned to leave, but called to him as an afterthought, "Would you like to come with me? I think you'll like what I've got."

He stood quickly and checked himself. When he turned to tell his friends bye, they were all making faces at him. Idiots, he shook his head at them.

The two made their way down the halls to her room. As always, he remained silent, trying to prevent himself from saying something dumb. They took a final turn and stood in front of her door. She put her hand on the wall and the door slid open for her. She walked in without waiting for him.

Bryce hesitated before entering her apartments, unsure of what to do."Wait here," she called over her shoulder as she made her way to her room with her box.

He stepped inside and looked around. Her rooms were comfortable and felt like a small home. He noticed a book shelf to his left and couldn't resist. He had always devoured books and was interested to see what kind of books Noelle liked. He opened the glass case and ran his hands over the titles.

Harry Potter, Shakespeare, Sherlock Holmes… Its like I made this bookshelf not her. He picked up the copy of the first Sherlock Holmes story and began to read it. He was flooded with memories of late nights reading through the novels.

He was so lost in thought he didn't hear her re-enter the room. "Sherlock Holmes. That's a good choice."

He quickly shut the book and put it back in its place. "Sorry, just curious."

She chuckled, "No worries, you can borrow it if you want."

He thanked her and took the book. He could tell that she highly valued her books. "So, what did you want to show me." He looked her up and down. She had changed into one of the outfits he had already seen her in: a black dress and boots with purple leggings. The dress was loose enough to hide some of her curves, though not enough that he didn't stare every now and then. "New clothes?" He asked.

She smiled at him mischievously and his heart raced. "Actually, I wanted to borrow you. I need a favor."

What's happening. He wished that he had thought this through. He looked at her cautiously. "What is it?"

"Hit me."

He stared at her in surprise. "W-what?"

"Hit me. As hard as you can, in the stomach."

He shook his head, "Um no, I'm not trying to break you."

She crossed her arms and cocked an eyebrow at him. "Come on Johnson, I don't have all day." She put her arms by her side and braced herself.

He stared at her in disbelief. He looked at her to find some uncertainty, but when he found none he shrugged. "Fine, but don't cry to me when it hurts."

He had never hit a woman in his life, but he trusted her enough to do as she asked. He struck out, careful not to put his full strength into it. The blow landed squarely in the middle of her stomach. Without her protective clothing such a punch would have sent her to the floor. Instead, she only had to step back from the force. Bryce stared at her. "What… what is that?"

She smiled at him broadly. "This," she gestured to her dress, "is armor. It's so I don't die."

He took the edge of her dress in his hands and felt it between his thumb and finger. It felt like rough chainmail, but looked like normal fabric. "Wow, that's incredible. How did you get it?" She handed him the card that had come with it. "For the baby bunny. " He looked at her questioningly, "'Baby bunny'?" A thought occurred to him and he was mad for not having previously realized it. She's already dating someone.

Noelle blushed slightly and shook her head, "Oh it's just Stark being an ass, as usual."

He sighed inwardly, glad that it at least wasn't proof that she was dating someone else. He cocked an eyebrow but didn't question further. Instead, he began to think of its practical uses. "Well either way, that's going to be a big help in battle. Especially if you keep training in hand-to-hand combat."

"Except," she stopped him, "that I may never enter a fight. I still haven't agreed. I told Stark that, but he never listens."

Bryce gave her a serious look. "It's your choice. Battle is never something one should choose to enter for fun. But I think you should consider it. I might not have said that before I saw you in the training room, but I'm more than convinced that you would be useful."

Noelle shrugged and he dropped the subject. She turned to the small box she had brought with her. She opened it and stared at it questioningly. Bryce wondered what it could be.

"A tiara?" The piece inside was a slender, silver circular piece. The front was a V pointing downwards, with a black gem in the center. She put it on and it wrapped around her forehead. While most modern day women didnt wear tiaras, he was surprised that she looked really good in it. Not only did it bring out the shine in her eyes, but it seemed to make her look even stronger. A true warrior.

He heard a faint voice that he couldn't quite make out. "JARVIS!" Noelle jumped and then beamed. Bryce stared at her in confusion. She motioned for him to come closer so he could hear the voice in her head. He stood with his ear almost pressing against her face. He had become comfortable being near her. Enjoyedit, in fact.

"So glad to see you're enjoying your new armor." JARVIS continued. Bryce's eyes widened. "Mr. Stark and I were very pleased with our final work. This head piece is designed to not only help you remain in contact with the team and myself during missions, but it also is a stylish way to keep your hair out of your way during a fight."

Noelle chuckled, "Wow, you guys thought of everything."

"That's why he made me. Glad to know my work is satisfactory. You may also note that your suit will go over regular clothes. Simply press the back of your collar and it will fold into itself, remaining attached as a small square to whatever clothes you are wearing. Press it again so that it will unfold."

Cool. Bryce moved without thinking, reaching his hand under her hair, intending to touch the back of her collar. Before he knew what she was doing, she grabbed his wrist and twisted. The force and surprise sent him backwards.

He shot back around as she stared at her hand in disbelief. "What the hell was that for?" He was mostly mad that he had let her catch him off guard.

She blushed and kept her eyes down."I…. I didn't know it could go over clothes."

Now it was his turn to blush. He returned to his old granite self. "Well then. I'm glad you did that." Even the thought of seeing her naked sent a warmth up his spine.

She nodded and moved on, which he was grateful for. "Thank you for everything, JARVIS."

"You've just received a new message. You are wanted in the control deck for an urgent debriefing."

Noelle nodded. She turned to Bryce, " I'm sorry, I'm needed somewhere. But I thought you'd enjoy seeing my new suit."

He smiled, though he was still embarrassed about his earlier actions. He cursed himself inwardly."Absolutely, I've never seen anything like it. And.. it's good to know you'll be protected." He stared over her head and hoped that it would pass over her ears. What the hell did I just say? She nodded and before she could comment, he turned and left the room. He walked away quickly, but yet again found himself smiling for no reason.

Panic- chapter 13

Taz was working on a broken air vent while Bryce absentmindedly handed him tools. It had been been a day since he had last embarrassed himself in front of Noelle and he was getting antsy. "I mean, I didn't know she didn't put clothes on under it. She can't be mad at me for that, right?"

Taz was less than helpful. "Yeah, I mean you only almost stripped her naked. Good thing you don't like her and, you know, don't want to see her naked."

Bryce threw a bolt at Taz's head. "I don't want to see her naked", he said a little too loudly for it to be completely believable. The passing crew members gave him looks as they walked by and his cheeks grew warm. "I mean, she's good looking, I'm just not trying to be creepy."

Taz nodded with fake understanding. The retort that was clearly coming never made it. Without warning, the ship pitched to the side. Sirens began to wail. The two friends looked at each other and then ran towards the base for service workers. When they arrived, Captain Martinez informed them that an engine had blown and they were needed to help fix it.

Bryce grabbed a tool box and began to run towards his assigned area. Emergency situations were never an issue for him. In fact, he thrived off of the simple "act/react" mood. But this time was different. He thought of Noelle and wanted to find her. He still went towards his assignment, but took unnecessary turns that put him close to the hospital. God I hope she's ok.

His prayer was answered when he took a turn and a body plowed into him. "Noelle, where are you going?" Bryce helped her up and noticed her new bruises. He started to ask her if she was okay, but she waved him off and heaved in deep breaths. It was a full minute before she could speak again. He worried that her lungs were failing her.

Finally, she noticed his toolbox and asked, "I have to go help Coulson in the holding cell. Where are you going?"

"They've sent out urgent requests for maintenance on an outer engine. Apparently the blast blew it up and Iron Man is trying to fix it, but they need help from inside." He looked her over, noticing bruises she was only just now feeling and scrapes she hadn't yet healed. "Noelle...maybe you should go to the hospital. You might get hurt in all this. Whatever's going on is bigger than us."

Noelle laughed and smirked at him, "Hmm seems like something you'd want. Payback for all my tricks."

Suddenly the whole ship began to pitch to one side. Bryce grabbed a fixture on the wall next to where he stood and grabbed Noelle's hand before she fell into the opposite wall."We're falling." She whispered, terrified. He pulled her close to himself so that she could hold on. He could hear Commander Fury's voice in her ear piece.

Her eyes shot to Johnson's. "I have to help my friends." The ship righted itself enough that they could both catch their footing, though it still pitched from side to side. He still held her hand, not willing to let her go.

"No, it's too dangerous. You need to find a way off this ship before we crash."

"But..."Her eyes pleaded with him. "I have to help." He knew how strong she was, but wished with all his might that he could keep her there. He knew she would never forgive him if he did. Bryce let go of her hand reluctantly.

He turned his face back to granite, but this time he was trying to convince himself of his toughness. "Noelle please, be careful." He reached for her face as if to heal the scrapes he saw there, before realizing where they were. Dropping his hand, he grabbed his toolbox from the floor and started to walk the way she had come.

Noelle grabbed his hand, forcing him to turn to look at her. It was the first time that she had initiated contact and he relished it. "Stay safe." With that simple parting she turned and ran again. He watched her go for as long as he could, silently wishing she would decide to stay with him. He said another silent prayer and then began to sprint to the damaged engine. It would be too long before he saw her again, each hour filled with worry.

Here to help- Chapter 15

Bryce was lying on his back, trying to fix a hole under one of the ship's control panels, when Noelle burst in the room. "Johnson!" She yelled, causing him to jerk upwards and hit his head.

"Son of a bitch," he said angrily as he rubbed his head. He looked up at her. "What are you doing, Norris? Trying to give me a heart attack?"

She chuckled and he was glad to see her smile. He felt his aching head ease and wondered if she was healing him. "If I wanted to do that, I'd do it my own way." She held out her hand and helped him up. "I need a favor."

He looked at her skeptically. "I'm not punching you again."

"No, this time I need a little more help than that. Can you fly a plane?"

"All crew be advised, we are 5 minutes from drop zone." Ben's voice came over the jet's intercom. Bryce looked around, silently cursing his friends for being so helpful. As they neared the drop site, he made silent plots to keep Noelle from going on such a dangerous mission. He had only heard small bits of information from his supervisor, but it was enough for him to know that she could be hurt.

She sat in her seat on the jet, talking distractedly into her headset. She scrunched her face and he could tell she was worried. Her eyes caught his. "Are you sure you want to do this?" He had to ask, though he knew the answer.

She grabbed his hand and held his gaze. "Absolutely sure." He could feel a lump growing in his throat and forced himself to remain granite-faced. He did enjoy how long she held his hand.

Ben's voice appeared back over the intercom. "Drop zone in T-minus 1 minute."

Noelle released Bryce's hand and unbuckled her seatbelt. She stood and pushed the back of her neck, causing the suit to form around her. Taz and Micah stared at her, jaws dropping. Taz also threw him a sideways glance.

He took his belt off and stood with her. He was glad that he had seen her in the simulation room. He knew she could handle herself. He just wished she didn't have to. Noelle looked at them all. "Thank you so much for your help." The wall behind her dropped open, revealing open air. Her hair spun around her like a curling tornado.

They shared one final look before she turned away from him and ran out of the opening. The door closed and everyone was silent. Bryce sat back down and leaned his head against the seat. His friends now stared at him with genuine concern.

"She'll be ok, B. She's tough." Rachel's voice comforted him through the headset. He nodded absently. The thought of her potentially dying plagued him.

It was only 5 minutes since they had dropped her that he made up his mind. "Turn around. I want to stay in Manhattan."

That got everyone's attention. "What? What are you going to do there?" Taz nearly yelled at him. Rachel had already begun to turn them around.

"I don't know, but I've got to help her somehow." No one else argued once they saw the determination on his face. Rachel brought the jet down on an abandoned street on the outer edges of the chaos.

Bryce stood and clasped hands with Taz. "Save me a seat at the lunch table." The two were like siblings and it was hard to leave. But he couldn't leave Noelle.

He ran out and headed towards Stark Tower. All of the reports said that Loki had chosen that as his base. The streets were empty now, filled only with wrecked cars and rubble. A few stragglers were making their way underground. As he ran, he could hear violence all around him. Strange alien men poured from a hole in the sky. It was utter chaos.

He turned a corner and stopped mid-run. A group of the aliens had cornered a small group of people just ahead of him. He thought about sneaking past them, but a glimpse at the terror on the captive faces told him what to do. Noelle wouldn't leave them.

The aliens all had their back to him, so he crouched and moved forward, hiding behind an overturned car closer to the group. He hadn't brought anything more than his standard issue handgun. He wasn't even sure it would hurt the creatures through their armored skin. It slipped easily from its holster and he counted the bullets in the clip. Only four… damn.

He snuck a peek at the group from behind and counted six enemies, each with an other-worldly gun. Preparing himself, Bryce took the safety off. Standing as quietly and quickly as possible, Bryce raised the gun and shot the closest four directly in the head before any of them were aware of his presence. The remaining two screeched with anger and pointed their weapons at him.

He moved like lightning, springing forward and grabbing the arm of the closest attacker. He twisted it as he spun his own body, throwing the monster over his back and onto the ground. It's weapon stayed in his hand and he turned it on the next alien. With two quick shots of purple energy, both enemies lay dead with their comrades. He turned to the people behind him as they stared. "Go, quickly! Get underground." They all nodded with tear stained faces and ran towards the subway entrance.

Bryce looked down at the gun in his hand. It was unlike any weapon he had ever seen. The energy radiating from it was tangible and deadly. He grabbed a second weapon from one of the fallen and slung it over his back. Now that he was armed, he made his way back towards the Tower.

The closer he got, the more careful he had to be. His pace slowed to a crawl as he ducked and weaved between buildings and debri to avoid detection. He took down the few that got close enough to him, but they swarmed like angry bees. A huge crash sounded near him and he only narrowly avoided being crushed by the tail of a whale-like monster as it fell dead to the ground.

He turned from his hiding place and cautiously peeked at the top of Stark Tower. He was almost directly below it now. A stream of light emitted from the top and shot into the sky, opening the portal that the aliens poured out of. Next to the light Bryce could barely make out a curly-haired figure. Found her. His heart leapt slightly at seeing her alive.

He did a sweep of the street and found only three aliens, which he shot quickly. A sprint forward through a broken glass door brought him into the building. Compared to the chaos on the street, it was deadly quiet. He made his way to the stairs and it dawned on him that he would have to climb all 18 floors to reach the balcony where Noelle stood. No matter how fit he was, he knew it would be a daunting climb.

He began the ascent, stopping periodically to check for attackers and catch his breath. The world outside exploded and rocked the tower, but he continued upwards. Finally, he reached a door that said "Private" and figured it was the right place. The door didn't budge, so he blasted it with his newly-acquired gun. It shot open and he walked through it. An empty, high end apartment spread before him, and he made his way onto the balcony.

Looking up, he could see the ledge above where the light poured out. With a few steps back, he was able to see Noelle and Agent Romanoff. Damn, missed it by a level. He stepped to go back inside but was stopped by the sound of an approaching jet. He turned and had to jump back as Iron Man flew up the building. With a nuke strapped to his back. Bryce could hear Noelle screaming at him to stop, but the man flew directly into the portal in the sky.

Bryce turned back to Noelle, hoping that she would see him. But she simply stared at the portal, hands raised. She seemed frozen, gritting her teeth in effort. Before he could call to her, light began to erupt from her skin. "Noelle!" He screamed, but was drowned out by the sound of a small explosion. Noelle no longer stood where she once had.

Agent Romanoff heard his scream and looked down. Both shared a look of terror. She ran to the edge and lay down, sticking a hand out. Bryce understood what she wanted and sprinted forward, leaping upwards to clasp her hand. He was surprised at the woman's strength to be able to pull him onto the ledge. He barely touched the ground before crawling forward to Noelle.

She lay in a burning heap, barely recognizable as smoke curled from her body. Her legs and arms were in tatters, and her torso had huge chunks missing. He held her head in his arms and pulled her close. She didn't move. Romanoff knelt beside him and felt for a pulse, but the look on her face told him there was no beat.

Tears leaked from his eyes and he let them fall, unable to hold them back. His head began to pound and his body ached, the adrenaline having begun to wear off. He barely registered the pain through his grief. As quickly as it had come, the pain was gone.

He looked up at Agent Romanoff and found her staring at her hand. The gash that had once dominated it was beginning to piece itself together. They both stared at Noelle. "Is… is she doing that?" They both leapt up, Bryce still cradling the girl against his body.

"This way, I know Stark has his own med lab here." The agent lead him down the hall and a flight of stairs, stopping only for him to adjust Noelle so she wouldn't fall. They reached a room with a series medical beds and equipment. Bryce laid Noelle on a bed and listened as Romanoff called for backup through her earpiece.

Bryce gently lifted Noelle's tiara from her head and placed it on a nearby table. Her suit had retracted into its square on the back of her neck, so he removed it and set it with the tiara. Pieces of her hair and fried skin fell off of her as he did so and he became nauseous at the sight. He kept his hands off of her to avoid more damage, but he wished greatly that he could let her know he was there.

A half hour later, Stark finally entered the room, with Dr. Banner, Captain America, and Thor following him. Had the circumstances been different, such a group would have set him on edge. Now, his only concern was for Noelle. Another man followed that Bryce recognized as Agent Barton. The group gathered around Noelle's bed as Stark and Banner set to work. The pair moved a giant, clear dome over her bed and switched it on. A whirring sound began to pour out of it and computers lit up. Stark stood and watched a monitor that showed a flat-line heart beat.

After a few moments, he looked back at Romanoff and Bryce. "Are you sure she's alive?" Bryce nodded and dug in his pocket, producing a small knife. He scraped it across his palm and blood began to seep out. The group stared at him as if he was crazy. As they watched, the wound began to close on itself, leaving only drying blood on his palm. He wiped it on his pants and looked at Stark earnestly, "She's been working on all of you since you walked in the room." He pointed to Thor, whose forearm had previously been losing blood. "Didn't you have a cut there when you came here?"

The giant man reached down and wiped his hand across his arm, revealing smooth skin. "It is a great warrior that cares for others in their own time of need", he said in true Nordic fashion. The group all looked at her somberly. Bryce noticed that she had even less of her body than when they had entered, leaving only tatters from head to toe.

Banner turned the computer he had been working at around so the rest of them could see. On it was a 3D scan of what remained of the healer. Banner pointed to the upper portion of the screen. "It appears that Noelle is sustaining herself. Her brain is completely intact: I'm guessing she protected it in a last-ditch effort to save herself."

The doctor motioned for Stark to look closer at the screen. "We'll need to find her a power source. Something she can draw on to heal herself."

Captain Rogers, who had been silent so far, spoke up. "Well we know where to find that, don't we?" He had a gleam in his eye. Stark nodded and Rogers stood to run whatever errand they had been talking about. Thor followed him.

It was quiet after that, with only a few comments from the stragglers about how to help the city recover. Bryce stepped out for only a minute to use the restroom. When he came back, Rogers and Thor had returned with a glowing cube. Bryce recognized it as the one he had seen at the top of the tower. Banner and Stark hooked its container to Noelle's bed. Immediately, the rest of Noelle's body disintegrated, leaving only her brain. It was creepy to look at, but it was intact enough to give Bryce hope. He knew that no matter what, he would be here to help her as she recovered. He plopped into a nearby chair and put his fingers on her encasement. See you soon.


	13. Noelle's 10 Second Movie Fix

One of my biggest problems, as mentioned, is that Noelle's powers are so… well, powerful. She has lots of limitations that don't make her an all powerful Queen, but she also keeps growing and expanding her powers. SO, to show you some of the ways that her powers would be helpful, here is a list of 5 movies that Noelle would end in 10 seconds. Feel free to send suggestions in! Enjoy :)

**Note: most of these are done from memory and are only meant to give you the idea of how she would fix it. So don't get mad when I paraphrase.

London Has Fallen

Noelle looked around as the crowds smiled at the world's leaders, waving and cheering like they were old friends. Noelle gave a small nod to the Queen of England as she passed. The city was filled with security, but none of the team seemed to feel any real security.

"There's just too many people. Too many important people. It's a terrorists wet dream." Noelle allowed herself a smirk at Barton's comment, but still continued to scan the crowd with her mind's eye. Her senses had begun to expand exponentially after her body's recreation, allowing her to see each person in the crowd like a 3D model. If someone even flinched a way she didn't like, the team would be on them in seconds. She could see four of the ten commanders from where she stood. Hawkeye could see the rest from atop the bridge a few miles away. The two of them, plus Natasha on a nearby rooftop, were the only three of the Avengers that had been assigned to the job. Or at least, the only three that had agreed to go.

Noelle watched as a young girl stepped forward to give the queen a flower. The guard stopped her from approaching, but a nod from Noelle gave the child a pass. As the child returned to the crowd, a shot rang out. One of the guards had stepped out of line, killing the officer in front of him. His gun was now trained at the Queen. Noelle stopped him before his finger could push the trigger, sucking his life away as quickly as it had entered the world. More and more "guards" began to step from their positions, but Noelle ended the threats as quickly as she found them. Each of the leaders' teams had now surrounded them and moved them from harm's way. Noelle stood in the midst of a swarming crowd, eyes closed to watch for more danger.

Her head piece began to sound, both of her companions calling out their scenes. Natasha called out multiple locations, clearly following a group of terrorists before they could wreak havoc on their intended targets. Barton called out that he took out a cargo boat captain, stating that he carried explosives on board.

An hour of chaos and panic passed before the team was given the all clear. Noelle was put on healing duty, managing the worst of the worst of the 20 casualties at the nearby hospital. She had already triaged several in the streets until she knew they would make it. She was exhausted by the end of the day, but knew that unimaginable chaos had been avoided thanks to the team.

2\. The Dark Knight

"Noelle, you catch all that?" The husky voice cracked over her earpiece.

"Yeah, just tell me where to go." Noelle's phone beeped with the locations Batman sent. They had both just listened as the Joker informed two groups, one of civilians and another of prisoners, that they each had the button to destroy the other to save themselves. His "social experiment", he called it. Her brain couldn't comprehend how twisted someone would have to be to do such a thing.

She landed the jet about a block away from the coordinates. The target, a building under construction overlooking the harbor, supposedly contained the evil madman. She scanned the building, showing dozens of auras littered throughout. She couldn't tell exactly what each was doing, but she could see that they were all pacing. Except for one, on the top floor.

"Bat, you sure this is the place?" While she knew it was odd for so many people to be at the building this late at night, she didn't want to accidentally kill an innocent.

"Positive, this is the first lock I've had on the Jokers locations in months. Don't waste it. I'm on the way to the ships now to try to deactivate the devices."

Noelle nodded as if he could see and moved closer to the tower, careful to stay out of eye sight of the auras she could see nearby. She stole as many yards as she could, but they were running out of time. She concentrated on every aura inside, looking for any indicator that they were not her target. She found none. Before she could think about what she was doing, she extinguished every aura in the building.

Looking down at her watch, she counted down 10 seconds. 8:30 beeped across the watch face. The time the Joker had said he would call back to the ships. No call came.

It took Batman only a few minutes alone in the building to find the Jokers lifeless body. She heard over the headset as he called to the "experimenters" that they were safe, and a bomb squad was dispatched to both areas. Gotham was declared safe once again, now free from the Joker's reign.

3: Game of Thrones (technically not a movie but oh well. Spoilers ahead.)

Noelle walked into the throne room of Joffrey Baratheon. Ned Stark, the Hand to the King and her new boss, didn't acknowledge that he knew her. Just as they had planned. Noelle curtsied to the king.

"Noelle Norris, I presume?" His voice was so nasally that it made her wince.

"You are as clever as they say, my Lord King." She turned to the woman sitting to his right. "And if I may also presume, this is the Queen Mother, Lady Cersei."

The woman gave a small smile, showing that she hadn't truly smiled in years, "Smart girl. And next she will guess that my brother here," he nodded at his mention, "is Jaime and that my father's last name is Lannister."

The king laughed at his mother's wit, not out of true ire but to know that they mocked her. She did not flinch. "The Queen mother is as witty as she is beautiful. And has also made my job much easier." The court looked at her with raised brows. A man nearby put his hand on his sword.

"And what job is that?" The King taunted her.

"Well, your Grace, I have already fixed some of your family's mistakes." This caused a stir through the court and the King moved to speak, but she silenced him. His tongue stuck in his throat. "Your parents, your real mother and father, pushed a young boy out of a tower, so I had to mend his legs." She did not budge from her place in the center of the room, and she didn't let anyone else move either. "His mother was very grateful. She exchanged his legs for your imp Uncle, so I'm sure you are relieved. Your Grandfather was, before I killed him." Now she moved, going a step closer towards him. Fear flared into his eyes. Cercei glared. "So you see, I have been unraveling your family's fingers from this kingdom. But yet, I still see three Lannisters before me. That, my good King, is my job today."

As the last word landed home, the King slumped over dead. She allowed Cercei to scream, but not move. It pierced through the court. "Oh my Queen, it does not become you to scream at such a small slight. But if you wish to scream, I shall let you watch your lover die." Cercei cried out as Jaime fell to the ground, wheezing in agony as Noelle crushed his lungs. In a few moments, she stared down at his lifeless body. "Pity, but that's what happens when you push children from towers." Noelle looked to the Queen and at her true hatred. "Don't worry, the rest of your family will live as loyal servants in these halls. They were the only innocents among you." Noelle killed her without glamour, for she did not deserve it.

She turned then to Ned Stark, releasing his daughters to him. They embraced like freed prisoners. She held the rest of the court captive still as witnesses. "So, My Lord, the throne is yours. You shall do as you promised?"

Ned parted from his daughters only long enough to shake her hand. "I shall create the council, as promised." She nodded and turned to go. "My lady," he stopped her, "Where will you go?"

She shrugged him away. "To the North, for as long as Im not needed. Though heed the Khaleesi and the other council members that I shall be there should they, or you, step out of line." He nodded in understanding.

The kingdom flourished under the Council, lead by the 7 great members of the nation, each having their own people's needs to consider. Under Ned Stark, all people were united. With the country settled, Noelle retired to the North, where she spent her days stalking and killing Night Walkers. The kingdom knew only summer for the remaining 60 years of her life. They knew only freedom. They knew only love. Most importantly, they only knew happiness.

4\. The Matrix

Noelle opened her eyes for the first time. In front of her, she found a table and chairs with breakfast laid out for her. A woman sat across from her. "Good morning dear, I made you some oatmeal." Noelle looked at the woman, puzzled. While she saw a woman in front of her, her mind's eye saw no aura. She looked down at her food and picked up the spoon. It dropped oatmeal onto the table. Or did it? Her mind began to race as to why she couldn't see the woman's aura. It's not real. There was no table. There was no woman. There was no spoon.

The end.

5\. The Emperor's new groove (because kids movies can't be forgotten)

"Emperor Cuzco, you're a llama?!" Noelle stood in shock at the animal in her hut's doorway.

The llama cried out in Cuzco's familiar voice, "I have Llama face!"

She tried to quiet him, but he was inconsolable. She used his fit as a distraction. Concentrating on his aura, she found the problem. Poison. Probably Yzma. She rolled her eyes. Using her powers, she pulled the poison from his body like sweat. As she did, the llama began to shift into a man.

"Cuzco… Cuzco.." she slapped him to get his attention.

"Ow! That really hurt!" He rubbed his hand, his human hand, across his face. She leaned against the door frame, waiting on him to notice. Sadly, it took him several more seconds than it should have. He looked at the tears on his hand. "Look what you made me… " He stared at his fingers in wonder and then looked up at her. "Oh. Well, thanks. But I'm still building my summer home here."

He righted himself and dusted off his clothes, before making his way back to his palace. And all was right in his world. P


	14. HH2: Rites of Passage Chap 1

**It's here everyone scream with me! If you didn't cry during BP, we can't be friends. These chapters are officially updated to match the movie. You'll notice this first one is nearly identical to what I had already written, but I changed how much they knew about Wakanda. This timeline is actually before Age of Ultron, but will catch up to it and continue in to Black Panther (I think, hang in with me). Therefore, let me give you a few insider tidbits. Avengers takes place in 2012, HH1 ends in 2013. HH2 starts in 2015, the same year of Age of Ultron. But then there is a big leap until BP in 2018. Therefore, the characters in HH2 have been aged backwards by at least 3 years when we enter in. I also am going to work hard to keep my formatting as it is on the Word document I write on. HH1 really bothered me because my italics and bolding didn't carry over, which is how I showed her thoughts. Super annoying. So I'm going to spend extra time copying the chapters over correctly. Long story short, hang in there and enjoy a behind the scenes look at Wakanda :)**

 **Chapter 1**

Noelle smelled the coffee first. It was refreshing and reminded her of mornings spent curled around a good book. _I missed that smell._ She thought of Bryce and his familiar cologne. Come to think of it, I missed smelling in general. Her nose had been formed for quite awhile now, but it had taken some extra work to get the smells to travel to her brain. She needed a break from her work, so she retreated into her mind's eye.

She reached out with her mind and watched as the people of Stark Towers raced about their daily lives. She made it her mission to find the person making coffee. When she did, she gave them a small dose of energy as a thank you. _Who else is here? S_ he pushed out and began exploring the now-familiar hallways. A slew of people milled around down stairs in the lobby; a routine they had begun shortly after the battle of New York. She guessed that a memorial had been placed there, but the crowd could simply be a result of this being Stark's Tower. A few other auras were nearby, but none that she knew. Her daily visitor had been absent for some time now, and Stark's familiar aura hadn't been seen more than twice during her time healing. Having confirmed that everyone was ok, she drew back into herself.

She had done this for months, both to keep her skills honed and to push away boredom. It had begun with only seeing her room and her tattered body lying lifeless on a bed, but after several tries she had begun to push it farther and farther away from herself. Her sight extended as far as the street outside the building now if she worked hard for it.

Her old sight would have only stretched a few floors up and down and would have been blinded by the many auras, but now her sight had adapted and made it easier for her to handle. It had warranted a mental happy dance when she had registered the change. A mental happy dance, of course, because she no longer had legs.

 _Speaking of…._ Noelle turned her focus to her newly-formed calves. Drawing energy from the source attached to her bed, Noelle started her healing process yet again. A feat that would have been impossible for her to do on someone else had become surprisingly easy over the past few months. A blueprint of her old body clung in her mind's eye, which she used to create her new body. She was glad that she had healed the man's eye in Germany as a trial run.

Just as she would have multitasked with her physical body, Noelle now healed her body and thought of what she would do when she could finally use it again. She wondered where all of her friends were. Were they ok? Had Natasha and the other Avengers been disbanded or did they still fight? She thought back to their final time together. The memories from the top of Stark Tower still seemed as fresh as if they happened yesterday, though she still had pieces that didn't fit together.

" _Noelle!"_ His yell of grief still rang in her ear, but Bryce hadn't been in New York. Surely he hadn't followed her to the tower. She turned it over in her mind as she always did, but still had no answers. After a few moments, she gave up again and just let her mind concentrate on healing.

She never tired now due to the energy connected to her, but she still allowed herself to rest after healing for long periods of time. She did so now, having finished her outer right leg all the way to the foot. Each body part took lots of time. First, she created the bone and tissue for the area so that her internal hardware wouldn't be exposed. The longest part was the nerves, which came next and had to extend perfectly from her brain to the miniscule edges of her body. While she had no concept of time, she was sure it had taken at least a week just to do one of her fingers.

Tomorrow would mean that both of her legs would be finished outwardly, and then she would only have to work on the veins and nerves inside. The final piece of her puzzle would be complete. She tingled with glee. She longed to move herself again. To be free again. As she settled into her dream-like state, she planned exactly what her first moves would be.

" _Move",_ she commanded her leg, but it remained limp on the bed. She pleaded with any part of her to do as she said, but they were obstinate. Well screw you guys. Her body had been completed for days, or so she guessed, but she remained firmly grounded. Digging deeper, she realized that the giant nerve that connected most of her nerves to her brain had only been half formed in her original hurry to heal herself. She cursed her own impatience and set to work healing it.

With a final fix, she could feel a change in her. Move. Her foot twitched. _MOVE_. Her foot slid to the right. She smiled, actually smiled with her real mouth, and began to cry real tears. _Move_! She thought gleefully and her whole body cracked at the same time. Her organs sprang to life after she had made them lie dormant. Her older parts were stiff, but the most recently formed bits jumped at their first chance to move.

She cast out her mind and found no one there, but she could hear a machine beginning to beep. My heart beat. She began to awaken her senses slowly, so as not to be overwhelmed. She could smell coffee again. She could feel the bed sheets beneath her. Her mouth tasted metallic. Her steady heartbeat sounding on the machine reminded her that she could hear.

Sight was the last sense to test. Slowly, cautiously, Noelle opened her eyes for the first time. The light in the room was as blinding as the first auras she had ever seen, but after a minute had passed she realized the room was actually quite dim. She thanked whoever it was that had been courteous enough to think of it.

She looked down at her newly formed body and smiled. It looked exactly as it had when she had last been whole. She carefully ran her hands over her nakedness, checking that she was all there. She looked to her side and confirmed her suspicions: the energy source that Stark had given her was the Tesseract. _Didn't that bastard learn anything?_ But she gave a small smile; happy to know her healing came before reason to him. A woman dressed in the blue SHIELD uniform came through the door then and her eyes widened in surprise at seeing the patient moving around. She ran from the room and Noelle heard her call someone on the phone, though her voice was too muffled to know what was said.

Noelle took the opportunity to push the plastic frame surrounding her bed up and was glad that it moved easily. She sat up and swung her legs over the edge, becoming light-headed. She placed her head in her hands and waited for it to pass. When she looked up, the blue-uniformed woman had entered again and was extending a bag of clothes towards Noelle. Her mind raced back to when Bryce had done the same thing for her.

She grabbed the bag gently and stood, aware that she was completely naked. _Sorry lady, they don't pay you enough for this._ She gave a nod of thanks and tried to speak, but it only came out as a hoarse choking noise.

The woman just gave a shy smile and left the room to give her some privacy.

Noelle could have cried when she saw the contents of her bag: her comfortable, black dress and boots. She slid it on and looked at herself in the mirror. It reminded her of the suit Stark had made her and she wondered where it was, or if it had even survived the accident. She smoothed the dress and left the tights in the bag. For the first time in a long time she was free, and she wanted no restrictions.

She allowed her mind to remain free as well, combing the building for signs of life. She found the aura of the agent who had brought her the clothes down the hall. From her posture, she assumed she was using a computer. The idea of contacting the outside world sounded appealing. She left the room that had held her so long and made her way down the hall. She could still "see" the woman agent up ahead to the left and decided that was the best place to go. Another figure was coming towards her, so she hoped to get out of the hallway before they arrived. She stumbled slightly on her new legs and put a hand on the wall to steady herself.

"Woah there, Bambi. Don't rush so much you hurt yourself."

Noelle turned around and gave out a hoarse squeal of delight. "Natasha!" The red-haired woman closed the gap between them and, for the first time in their friendship, gave her a hug. Noelle returned it, lost in happiness at being reunited. They separated and grinned at each other. "Fill me in. What did I miss? How… how long was I gone?"

Natasha gave a small frown. "To summarize: awhile." Noelle cocked an eyebrow at her as she continued. "Why don't you go sit down and I'll tell you what happened."

Noelle didn't want to be delayed, but having separated her connection to the Tesseract, she was beginning to feel weak. She nodded and let Natasha lead her back to her room. Once there, she begrudgingly sat on the bed. She looked down at it and frowned at her personal prison. _When I'm fully healed, I think I might burn it._ She gave a small smile and told Natasha what she thought, getting the first laugh from her. It made her smile even bigger.

As she reconnected to the Tesseract's energy, she felt her body's problems melt away. She forced herself to not allow its full force in, afraid that she would become addicted to the rush. She had noticed that her body still ached with fibro and it made her weary just to think of it, but she had known that not healing her brain wouldn't change it. _One can dream I guess._

She looked at Natasha now, who stood across from her with arms folded. An awkward silence fell across the room, which startled Noelle. Natasha had kept plenty of secrets, but had always done so in a way that Noelle didn't even register it. Now, it seemed that she simply didn't want to speak.

"Youve been out for a year and a half now." Natasha finally blurted out. Noelle's eyes widened. She had known it had been a long time, but she hadn't expected it to be anything more than 6 months. _No wonder my visitors stopped coming as often._ Natasha continued, the words seeming to spill out now, "After our battle in New York, people finally knew what Shield had been protecting them from. You got lucky, no one seems to remember you from the fight. Probably because the streets were mostly empty when you got there. The rest of us have nearly had to enter into the witness protection program; people know us now. Now there are supers popping up left and right, whether by choice or because they get caught using their powers." Noelle wondered if there was anyone with powers like hers. "There's about 30 that we know of now, and 20 of them are still not out to the world, but that changes every day."

"What is Shield doing about it?" The first meeting with her friend and Agent Coulson popped into her mind. _Had they had that same meeting with all of these people?_ The thought of Agent Coulson caused a pang of hurt to rush through her. She had last seen him lying on a gurney. Apparently, the pain made it across her face, though briefly.

Natasha was too smart to let it go. "Noelle, I know that you lied to us about Coulson." Noelle's eyes immediately cast down to the floor. Before she could apologize, or explain that it had been Fury's idea not to tell the team that Coulson was healed, Natasha put a hand on her shoulder. "It's ok, I know it wasn't your idea. And I know why you did it."

Her gratitude was palpable and she gave a sigh of relief. She had wanted to tell them so badly that Coulson was okay and they didn't need to worry, but when Fury had asked her to keep quiet so that they would have a cause to fight for, she had agreed. She had watched the team argue too many times to disagree with him. She told Natasha that. "I'm so sorry, I really wanted to tell you all, I swear. Does the rest of the team forgive me?"

Now it was Natasha's turn to look away. "They don't know he's alive. He only let me in on the secret a few months ago because he needed my help."

Noelle gave a small laugh, "Stark is going to be pissed when he finds out we were able to keep a secret from him."

Natasha nodded, "Devastated, for sure." They both chuckled, knowing it was not necessarily the joke they were making it out to be. "Speaking of Coulson," Natasha continued, "he's the reason I'm here." She stood from where she leaned and turned down the hall, motioning for Noelle to follow her. She stood from the bed and followed, allowing only a small connection to remain with the Tesseract. "I was sent here to check on you. We weren't sure if you'd be willing to help us, let alone if you'd even be on your feet, but the agent sent to watch you reported you were alive just as I was landing." _So that's what the woman's phone call was about._

The two women rounded a corner and Natasha lead her into one of Stark's many rooms. It was filled with computers. Natasha chose one and began typing on it. "Like I was saying, people with powers have been showing up everywhere." As she said it, a dozen faces began to rotate across the screen. Each face had a name and place under it. **Jessica Jones, Hell's Kitchen. Matt Murdock, Hell's Kitchen**. The list continued on. "Coulson has started a fracture unit of Shield that specializes in finding these people and helping them."

Noelle was shocked when a face that looked close to her age passed the screen. Natasha put her hand on it and the image filled her vision. "This is T'Challa," Natasha explained. "He is the Prince of Wakanda."

"Wakanda?" Noelle turned to her questioningly. "I've never heard of Wakanda."

"No one had, not for decades. T'Challa's father made sure of that." Natasha clicked on a smaller file and an image of an older T'Challa look-alike popped up, whom Noelle guessed to be his father. The apple definitely didn't fall far from the tree with this one . Another click and a picture of a beautiful African landscape appeared next to the old man. "This is T'Chaka, and this," she gestured to the landscape, "is Wakanda." The agent clicked on the picture and more pictures expanded from it.

A small, remote village appeared on the screen and Noelle laughed. "What, do they have guns hidden in their baskets?"

Natasha smirked. "Better. They have vibranium."

"Vibranium?" _So we're just making up things now._ "Why is it so special?"

Natasha gave a small smile. "Rogers could tell you all about it. It's what his shield is made of." Noelle's eyes widened in surprise. She had seen that shield in action and it was unbreakable. "Vibranium is named that because it absorbs all vibration, which means it can stop movement, sound… you get the picture. And the Wakandans only give it out in small portions."

Noelle stared at the screen, "So, if these Wakandans are so secretive, how does Shield know so much about them? And what does this have to do with me?" Noelle flashed back to when she first met the agents and realized that her "secret" powers weren't so secret. She wondered if the Wakandans would be as surprised as she was about what Shield knew.

Natasha shut the screen down and leaned against a nearby desk. Noelle watched as her demeanor changed. Her aura even seemed to shift, though Noelle had never seen one respond like that. The agent sighed, letting her tough exterior fall slightly, "a couple months ago, King T'Chaka approached us with an offer. He had seen what our team did in New York. In exchange for information, he wanted SHIELD to incorporate Wakanda into its protection." The agent paused. "More specifically, he asked for you to become the ambassador."

Noelle couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry, so she did a mix of both. "Why me? And why are you being so weird about it? You know I don't mind traveling every now and then."

A head shake and sad eyes pushed her deeper in to worry. "Noelle.. Noelle the Wakandans are _secretive_. And part of their terms are that whatever outsider is invited in must become Wakandan. Pledge all loyalty to Wakanda. And you can never leave. Not unless you are accompanying T'Chaka."

The air in her lungs escaped in a huff and she braced herself on the table. Natasha stretched an arm out to touch her shoulder, but thought better of it and crossed her arms. "We all missed you. I tried to come as much as I could get away. And if Coulson.." she stopped herself, "if I thought there was a better option, we never would ask this of you." She used her eyes to plead with Noelle. "We need you again. After our big reveal in New York, the great powers of the world decided that Shield should be disbanded and all of our files made public." Noelle blanched at the thought. Natasha noticed, "Exactly. You know more than most about how terrible that could be. Coulson has an idea to fix it."

"And that's where I come in." It was a statement, not a question.

Natasha nodded, "Coulson thinks that if Shield can show these leaders that we aren't building an army against them, they will allow us to remain functional. Allow us to keep helping people. The Wakandans are a secretive people, and bringing them to our side would show we care about every country, not just the most powerful. And we need to show them we want their trust. We are asking you to become a part of T'Chaka's team."

Noelle thought about what they were asking. "Natasha, you know I'd do anything for the team, or for you, or for world peace." She crossed her arms over her chest. "But I'm not some gift. I'm a person. A person who only just got back to her body."

"Trust me, I know. I know exactly how you feel." Noelle believed her, and it reminded her that she knew nothing about her friend's past. Natasha refused to make eye contact again and instead pushed herself towards the computer. "Which is why, I also knew that this might motivate you to go." With a click, another picture popped up. This time it was of a girl, who couldn't be more than 18.

The photo of her wasn't an official driver's license photo, like most of the others. This was a grainy, pixelated picture. The camera had caught her as she looked over her shoulder before entering a building. Her long, white hair blew behind her small frame, a bright contrast to her dark skin. Noelle took in as much of the image as possible, wondering where Natasha was going with it. "This is Wisp. She's a super we've seen glimpses of in Africa. We don't think the Wakandans even know of her."

Noelle looked at her questioningly, "Why would that persuade me? I mean she's cute but I hardly know her." She winked at Natasha, who chose to ignore her.

"Because you're the only one that can help her." Footage popped up of a bank. Noelle couldn't tell where it was, but it looked European. As she watched, the girl's white hair appeared at the bottom of the screen and moved to a teller. They seemed to speak normally, but her eye caught a change in the security guard. He seemed to readjust in his body. Then the guard held up the bank he was meant to protect. She watched in shock as he used his weapon to keep everyone at bay as a truck backed in through the large building doors, emptied the vault, and left again. His final act was to shoot himself in the head. As he died, Wisp seemed to adjust her own body, and then leave.

Noelle turned her wide eyes to meet Natasha's. "What the hell was that?"

Natasha closed out the computer. "That's all we have on her, just the video and one surveillance picture. Our best guess is that she can leave her own body and inhabit another. You can see how this would be dangerous."

Noelle nodded, mouth still slightly open. "And you think I'd still be able to sense her aura?" It was posed as a question, but she already knew the answer.

Natasha shrugged, "We hope. Otherwise, we have no idea how to stop her."

Noelle looked out the window at the street below. She could sense each individual as they walked past: all of their pains and aches called to her to heal them. The idea of leaving so quickly after her reawakening made her feel uneasy. She had no idea where half of her friends were, or if they'd even want to talk to her once they found out about Coulson. She thought of Bryce and wondered where he could possibly be. _Probably off somewhere not having emotions_ , she laughed to herself.

"I can tell I'm different, you know," she said to her friend, though still kept her attention on the street. "There's a flock of birds about to fly over. Geese, I think. One of them has a broken foot." She paused for a moment. "Had a broken foot."

Natasha tried not to seem too intrigued, but her calmness gave her away, "That's.. new. Impressive."

Noelle finally looked her in the eyes again. "You wouldn't ask me to go unless you really needed me, unless it was important, right?"

For a minute, it seemed that the agent might actually break down and say she shouldn't go. "I… I wish I didn't believe that you should go. But I really think it's what would be best. Both for the Avengers and the safety of King T'Chaka. You'll like him, he's noble and proud, but nice. I could see you two bonding easily."

Noelle burst out laughing, "When I first boarded the helicarrier, I couldn't believe how far I'd come. And now look at me, heading off on a diplomacy mission to a secret kingdom. To help a king, no less!" She shook her head, "Crazy how life goes." She thought of her team, and how they'd always cared for her.

She hopped up from her spot and headed for the door, "Come on, lady, I've got bags to pack. Oh, and Tony's here."


	15. HH 2 Chap 2

**So before I start this chapter, I'd like to talk about something important. Black panther is one of the greatest movies of all time, and what makes it just over the top fantastic is that POC are FINALLY getting their moment to shine in pop culture. Which leads me to a problem. Noelle is like, super white. And while I think this is a good story line that I'd like to explore, having her integrate into this culture is pretty hard to write while staying away from cultural appropriation. Therefore, you'll notice that whenever I have her do something or wear something "Wakandan", I have tried to make sure it is clear that the Wakandans okay it. That being said, if you are a POC and would like to tell me how to properly write this so as no one is insulted, I'm all ears. This is not my culture, this is not my moment to shine, and I don't want to take anything away from it. Okay, no more long rants, I promise. Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 2**

"Potts, can you send Kimmy a gift basket?" Noelle could hear Stark before she could see him. The elevator door opened onto Stark's personal living room and he stepped out. He noticed Natasha first and clicked his phone off. "Agent, surely you didn't call me here just to take in the view?"

Noelle stepped out from behind a corner. His face lit up for half a second before his happiness was replaced with the beginnings of a sassy remark. She beat him to it, "Having your girlfriend send another woman flowers? Tisk Tisk Stark." She smiled coyly at him.

"Actually, I got a bit of a threatening letter from North Korea. I just assumed that Kimmy might need a pick me up." She nodded as if that was a perfectly normal way to address the dictator in charge of nuclear weapons. Stark went to the bar, freshly refurbished after their fight with Loki had ruined most of the architecture. "Nice of you to finally wake up."

She knew that was the closest he'd get to a "nice to see you again". She turned and gave Natasha a knowing look. "Nice to be back. I'm particularly enjoying the fact that I don't look a year older," she mockingly looked him over, "I'm just sorry that you couldn't do the same."

He finished making his drink and walked towards the couch, giving his forehead a slight tug with his free hand. "I've been meaning to ask, I could use a touch up. Who needs Botox when they've got Noelle?"

She answered him by turning his hair green again. "I liked this look better." She went and joined him, sitting in a chair opposite from him. Natasha chose the chair next to her.

The agent nodded, "I agree, it suits you."

Stark looked into the glass table and gave a small laugh. "Still waiting on those Hulk powers."

Noelle stared at him. She hadn't been kidding, he seemed to have aged years in the time she was gone. She fixed his hair and took some of the lines off of his face. Not enough to make much of a difference, but it made him seem less tired. "So, what have you gotten yourself into recently?"

He shrugged and she knew it was serious. Just as it was with Natasha, the more nonchalant they tried to appear, the more the danger or discomfort was. "Oh the usual, made some suits, got my girlfriend turned into a super soldier, almost died," Stark made it sound like he had only been out for coffee.

Noelle didn't pry, she knew that even just listing it out was probably traumatic for him. "So an average year for you then?"

His mouth twitched into a smile, "Exactly. And I guess Natasha has told you about Wakanda?"

Natasha nodded for her, "It will surprise you to know that she agreed, I'm sure, especially once I told her it would help out the team."

Tony nodded as if that was exactly what he had expected. "Excellent." He allowed his voice to nearly shout, "JARVIS, bring out Noelle's things please."

Noelle beamed when she heard the familiar voice answer, "Yes, Mr. Stark." A panel in the ceiling seemed to shift, and a platform descended onto the table in between them. On it was a large case and a normal suitcase. Both she and Stark stood to look at them.

"All of your things from the helicarrier have been put with your apartment things. A storage space in… Manhattan I believe."

"Queens," Natasha corrected him. "Seemed safer. Less aliens."

"Your suit didn't quite make it through your explosion, so I figured you'd need a replacement." Tony opened up the first case. As he did, a picture of a beautiful woman wearing a dress with tribal designs popped up on a hologram. "This is the typical Wakandan diplomat dress. Especially during diplomatic meetings, they tend to merge a more modern western style, with notes of their country's designs." He pulled a black dress from inside the case. The top half was a typical, gauzey black dress held together at the top by a metal band. It fell all the way to the floor, but the material seemed light and flowing. The front half, however, was open. Noelle glanced and saw a black bodysuit inside the case. Both garments' hems were decorated in purple, tribal-style designs. "Functional, but comfortable and stylish. We got the body suit designs from their bodyguards." As he said it, a picture of intimidating women in red bodysuits appeared on the hologram. "I sent T'Chaka my design idea and he approved it immediately."

She picked up the body suit and let the material fall between her fingers. "It's beautiful. And," she rapped her knuckles on it and they stung. "...made from the same material as my old suit?"

"Have to keep the baby bunny safe, especially since we won't be around." He pushed a button on the back of the collar and the dress folded into itself. He placed it back in the box and lifted a panel of foam. She knew the glint of the gem before he had even lifted it out. "Thought you might want this back."

She grabbed the tiara from him and slipped it onto her head. "Hello, Ms. Norris," crackled from inside it.

"Hello, JARVIS," she grinned with delight. "I can't believe this survived." Stark gave her a mock look of pain and she corrected herself. "You made it, so of course it did." She looked down at the other suitcase. Stark noticed.

"Natasha packed that one for you. We can send you anything we forgot, but this should at least last you awhile." The idea of her departure seemed to hit everyone at once; the mood fell. Stark caught her eyes with a moment of sincerity, the lines that she had erased coming back onto his worried face. "You don't have to go if you don't want to. It'll be dangerous."

She held his gaze, letting her new powers surge so the room could feel her strength. They both perked up subconsciously as her energy became palpable. "I can do this." For the first time in her life, she knew they had no other choice but to believe her.

Noelle sat in a plane seat across from the Shield agent sent to accompany her to her new home, similar to her first ride with Natasha. Only this time, she seemed to be the one in charge. She stared out the window and tried to think of something to say, but the man's focused attention on his phone told her he would prefer silence. After having made so many friends, she forgot that most people were still afraid of her. _Oh well, his loss._

She looked down below and watched the clouds roll by. She assumed that the flight would take at least 10 hours, even in the fast Shield jet, so she let herself settle in. She apparently settled too well, because in only moments she was fast asleep.

 _Her flesh was burning and she could smell it. She looked up to see the gaping hole in the sky. It was sure to swallow them any minute, but she was stuck in place. Burning. Ripping from the inside out. She stared at the hole and wished it to close, but it continued to pour enemies. A new one emerged. A familiar face. "Loki," she said through gritted teeth._

 _He appeared before her, a wicked smile on his face. She tried to spit at him, but her mouth was dry. "You judge me for killing others?" He smirked, and it was then that she knew he understood her crimes. He knew her past. He leaned in close and whispered in her ear, just as the energy within her began to burst. "You're no better than me." She screamed as she was torn apart._

"Ms. Norris, wake up!" Noelle snapped out of her dream and glared around her, preparing to fight whatever enemy was startling her awake. Instead she saw her attending agent lying on the floor, gasping for breath. She sprang up from her chair and crouched next to him, wide-eyed with fear. He returned her look, though with much more pain, and she realized what was attacking him. _Shit it's me._ She ended her pull of energy from his aura and he sucked in a deep breath of air. "Shit, I'm so sorry.. I'm so sorry.." she said over and over again. She poured all of the energy back into him and he righted himself.

"It's ok, it's ok," said the very clearly not-ok man. He pulled himself back into his chair, but she remained on the floor. It had been so long since she attacked someone in her sleep, she had forgotten the dreaded grief it brought with it. She tried to block out faces but they rushed in anyways.

The agent stared out the window, clearly still trying to collect himself. Noelle realized she was making things more awkward by staying on the floor, so she hoisted herself into a new chair, one where neither she nor the agent were facing each other. Both of them remained silent the rest of the trip.

-—-

It was only four hours into the trip when the pilot's voice crackled over the intercom. "Passengers, we are beginning our descent into Africa. Please fasten your seatbelts." Noelle did as she was told and then glanced at the other agent, wanting to ask him what was happening but too afraid to break their silence. Peering out the window, she was shocked to find that they were already below the clouds. She could see land below; a perfectly picturesque African savannah.

She eyed the distance to the ground and then allowed her powers to extend to their furthest reach: she could sense auras on the ground. She noted that there weren't many, just a small cluster milling around what she assumed to be their landing strip. She searched the bright spots that she could see but found nothing suspicious. She still didn't like it, but it was either ask the agent she almost killed or patiently wait to find out. Her hatred of awkward moments won out and she began to silently repack her carry on bag.

Thankfully, her impatient nature was rewarded with only a small wait time, as the pilot had them landed and stopped in less than 10 minutes. Her near-victim stood when the seat belt light turned off and began to leave the plane, clearly expecting her to follow. She noticed he left his own carry-on behind. _Guess this is where we say bye._ She imagined that he would feel waves of relief at the thought. If she was honest with herself, she would be relieved, too, even if parting meant her step into the unknown had begun.

She exited the plane and was momentarily blinded by the burning sun outside. She closed her eyes and allowed her mind to take over for a few seconds as her main input. She found her agent a few steps in front of her, and then a cluster of auras several yards away. From their grouping, she assumed a person of great importance and their guards awaited her. Finally cracking her eyes, she was greeted by the sights she had already seen in full color. A cluster of women in red suits stood surrounding a man whose face she recognized from Natasha's pictures. She finished her steps down the plane's stairs and walked to greet the man. "Misses Norris, it is wonderful to welcome you to our home. _Wamkelekile._ " His thick Xhosa accent clung to his words, but he spoke English perfectly.

She smiled and returned the pleasure. "King T'Chaka, you are so kind to invite me." It was as she stuck out her hand that she realized she had never been properly educated in how to greet the Wakandan king. As she mentally faltered over her actions, her feet seemed to catch on to the idea. She tripped, beginning a face-first free fall towards the ground. Aged hands that were faster than she expected reached out and caught her. "Careful, _ngumhlobo._ I would not want to have to tell SHIELD we lost you on the first day." Noelle blushed and righted herself, but was thankful that the King's eyes showed the playfulness in his words. His accent on her language made the words all the more soothing.

This time he stuck out a hand for her to shake, which she gladly took. "Sorry, your Highness. I realized I did not know how to greet you and my feet decided they knew the proper way was to kneel face-first."

The King laughed and the warmth of it helped calm her. When he was finished, he allowed himself to become more business-like, but his good nature was not completely hidden. "Don't worry, we will have you as one of us so quickly that you will not know how you lived without us." He winked and she smiled. While she had barely even considered the idea of becoming a citizen of a completely different country, she was beginning to like the idea of T'Chaka as her king.

A throat cleared behind her. Noelle turned and found her SHIELD escort waiting impatiently, her bags on the ground at their feet. She blushed and gave a small sigh. "Thank you, I'm good to go."

"Yes, ma'am." The pilot tipped his hat and the crew boarded the plane. It seemed like mere minutes before they were off the ground and soaring away, taking her last strand of SHIELD with them.

From behind her, she heard T'Chaka clap. "Good, now that they are gone we can go to your _real_ new home." She turned to him questioningly and he gave her a mischievous smile.

"If we aren't in Wakanda, where are we?"

The King gestured to an empty space behind him and an aircraft materialized from nowhere. It was circular, and a shade of grey that she wasn't used to seeing. It looked nearly alien. The front held a bubble of glass for the pilot to see from. "Because Wakanda does not allow outside guests, we asked that you be brought to our border. Our own plane will take us home. Come, let me show you." He stuck his arm out for her to hook her hand through. She could barely keep her jaw closed from the sheer awe.

Noelle stared at the strange machine. Natasha had shown her a picture of a small African village. She highly doubted this aircraft would fit in a hut. Thinking of Natasha brought her back to their last conversation. As she had stood to board the plane to her new home, her friend had pulled her to the side.

" _Are you afraid?" She hated when Natasha worried about her. It made her want to prove that she was stronger than she thought._

" _No, it's what's best."_

 _Romanoff didn't buy it but let it go. A small box was pulled from her pocket and slipped into Noelle's hand. "I know I've told you how secretive the Wakandans are, but even I don't know what they'll allow you to do. I doubt we will be allowed to communicate freely, so I got you this." Noelle opened the box and saw a delicate ring inside. It matched her tiara, with a small purple stone in the center. "I know you'll have Jarvis, but if you ever can't reach the rest of us and it's an absolute emergency, this ring will call me. Just turn the stone all the way around one time." Noelle could have bawled at the idea that they wouldn't be free to talk, but instead had simply thanked her. As they parted, Natasha had whispered one final goodbye into her ear._

"Are you ready to go, Ms. Norris?" Noelle snapped back to her current audience. With a smile that she hoped could pass as genuine, she nodded to the King.

"Absolutely, let's do it."


	16. HH 2 Chap 3

**Chapter 3**

"How much farther until we reach your city?" Noelle said from her seat facing the King. She was surprised at how quietly the ship moved through the air with a glass ceiling. The technology was far superior to anything SHIELD had. Even now, in her dress Stark had created, she felt inferior. The body suit actually accented her curves and made her look fierce, while the flowing dress softened the look. But beside all this tech she felt like a small child.

The King answered, which still slightly surprised her. So far, his guards hadn't said a single word. She recognized them from the picture Stark had showed her. The _Dora Milaj_ were beautiful. And scary. "It is up ahead. Watch and you will see why we are such a secret." He had a small twinkle in his eye that told her he was up to something. She stared out the front of the plane, but only saw thick forest and mountains. She stretched out her powers to look for auras, and began to see them twinkling on the edge of her vision. When she looked with her physical eyes, she still saw trees and only trees. _Are they underground?_ Before her eyes could decipher what was happening, a wall of glass seemed to open before them. She gasped as a sprawling metropolis rose before her. "Our force field protects us from the eyes of outsiders." She didn't blame them for wanting to keep such a utopia hidden. Auras began to hit her like millions of stars. She allowed her mind to stay open, but dimmed its appearance in her mind so as to not be overwhelmed. While she hadn't loved exploding to pieces, she was definitely enjoying the new abilities her powers allowed her to have.

As they raced over the city, she became breathless. The colors of the buildings, all vibrant golds, purples, and reds on clay-like backdrops, reminded her of the pictures she had seen of African villages. But the skyscrapers, speeding planes, and even the peoples' clothes spoke of an intelligence and sophistication that her own nation wasn't capable of. She noticed now how the King's wardrobe reflected his city. What she had originally thought to be a simple suit was actually bordered with tribal designs of red and green. His pocket square was a vibrant copy of the embroidery on the suit. Like his city, he drew from his peoples' background to enhance his modern look. Her own dress was the same, though it was a mix of her own culture and this that she emulated.

She was so lost in thought she almost didn't register the King's voice. "Misses Norris, I must tell you about our country before we land." She turned and looked at the King, whose face was now sullen and serious. "I am taking a great risk in bringing in an outsider to become one of us. Wakanda is full of secrets that are not allowed to pass our borders. No one from the outside has been allowed in. Ever. That is why you have been required to fully commit to us and become a Wakandan. It is not to be taken lightly." His words seem to hang in her mind, and she knew what he implied.

"My goal is to keep our earth safe. I've seen what the Avengers can do, and if me becoming Wakandan allows them to continue their good work then I am all yours. I just want people to be safe." She said the last part quietly. Earnestly. The King nodded, allowing her response to settle the matter. And it was true. While she had always been "American", she had never considered herself solely that. After an alien invasion reminded people that they were all connected on Earth, she realized her true goal was to keep every person safe that she possibly could. No matter their nationality. If her own nationality had to change in order to do that, then it was a sacrifice she made eagerly.

They neared the tallest building in the city. Noelle sensed a rather large cluster of auras all standing in a circle underneath it and assumed that would be their welcoming party. When they hovered above the gap the waiting bodies made, she realized she was right. The craft landed with a small jolt and everyone began to unbuckle. Noelle reached for her bag, but a hand from one of the guards beat her to it.

The back of the plane opened and T'Chaka made his exit. Three guards followed behind him, while the rest motioned for her to follow. She walked out into the blinding light. Cheers rang from all around her as the people soaked in the image of their king. When her eyes adjusted, she found the man hugging a woman more beautiful than she had ever seen. Her elongated headdress and elegance told her she was the Queen. Behind them was a small entourage of regal people. Noelle nearly gasped when she saw that she was not the only other white person in Wakanda. A man stood just behind the small group. He looked Wakandan in every way, except his skin color was clearly even lighter than her own.

Before she could ask who he was, the Queen saw her standing there and decided she would make sure she had no questions about her authority. She walked over to Noelle, who was grateful her feet didn't have another chance to trip. " _Mholweni,_ hello and welcome to Wakanda. I am Queen Ramonda ." From a pouch at her waist, she withdrew a string of glowing beads. Noelle bowed to her and felt the beads pulled onto her wrist. The Queen turned to the crowd, though still addressing her, and stated with authority, "With these Kimoyo beads, I hereby make you the official first Ambassador of Wakanda. You are now one of us."

Noelle felt the weight of that title as she watched the crowd. Some cheered joyfully, others simply stared and scowled. She locked eyes with the Queen and blushed at the expectation she found there. _Am I supposed to say something back?_ "Thank…thank you for this great honor. I know I am not worthy, but I will do my best to prove I am loyal to your nation." The crowd cheered again and the Queen looked pleased. Noelle breathed a sigh of relief. She was glad that Natasha had imparted with her the importance of completely bowing to her new nation, even if her brain hadn't fully accepted the reality of it. She fondled with the beads out of nervous habit. The were full of symbols she didn't recognize and lit at her touch.

The Queen moved to the side as the King walked forward, accompanied by two miniature versions of himself. The girl on his left seemed close to 10, but she didn't remember hearing about her. The boy on his right, slightly older than herself, instantly clicked. _T'Challa._ The King held the girl out first, but she had already beat him to it. She stuck her hand out in eagerness. "Hello, I am Princess Shuri. I have heard that you are a great champion for your people."

Noelle shook her hand and found herself brought in for a hug. As she pulled back in shock, the glowing smile on the other girl's face became contagious. She giggled slightly, "I don't know about that, I'm just really good at trying not to die." The laugh that bubbled from her greeter's lips flowed through her, just as her father's did. She looked at T'Challa's stoic face, so similar to Bryce's, and wondered if his laugh was as infectious as the rest of his family. From the cold look he returned to her, she doubted she would ever hear it.

The King motioned with his right hand and the stone man in question stepped forward. Noelle nodded her head in a bow to him. "This is my son, T'Challa, heir to the throne and all its titles. And.." the king added the rest with a clear weight, "the reason that I was convinced to bring in an outsider to become one of us." The man's pride seeped into every word. T'Challa simply nodded in return. Noelle was shocked that it had been his idea to bring her in, not the warm and inviting T'Chaka. _Is he so standoffish because he worries he made the wrong choice?_

An awkwardness settled over the group. The King felt it and clapped his hands together, "Why don't we go inside. I have a private room set up for us to all get acquainted." He turned and walked towards the hulking doors of the giant tower and everyone turned to follow suit.

Noelle happened to fall in line beside the mysterious white man. "Hi, I'm Noelle," she nearly whispered. The man didn't even glance her way, speeding up to be far from her whispering range. She scowled at him. _What the hell is his problem?_

His response, or lack of one, was quickly forgotten as they entered the building. Noelle's jaw fell open despite her best effort to remain composed. It was like a science fiction novel had exploded in Africa, leaving only futuristic ideas implanted in the clay. Walls of readouts in foreign languages spread out before them like magical wallpaper. The one she could actually read was filled with such advanced ideas and mathematical problems that it made no sense to her. They continued on this way in near silence for several hallways, until they reached a set of double doors. A set of guards opened it for them.

The King turned to the rude man. "Hunter, I need you to wait out here."

The man clenched his teeth and began to argue, but a look from T'Chaka silenced him. "Yes, sir." As Noelle passed him, she could see the fury in his eyes. Directed at her.

Inside was a futuristic, but rather plain, room with a long table and chairs. Noelle waited for everyone to find their spots before sitting down. She was slightly relieved that Shuri was her only neighbor, as no one sat in the seat to her right. Each person turned to the King, who remained standing at the head of the table. "Now that it is just our small council, I believe it is time to get to know each other." He paused and looked at her with meaning, "Noelle, you may start."

She assumed that he had been given at least a partial file on her from SHIELD, but wondered how much everyone knew. He sat as she stood to speak. "Uh, hi again." _Good start, idiot. "_ I'm 21" _oh shit that was before the accident! "_ I mean 23, sorry. And I've been with SHIELD for a few years now." She began to sit back down, but the king held his hand up. She stopped mid-squat.

"And what about your powers? The information SHIELD gave us was… limited."

Noelle stood taller again, but inside she still felt uneasy. "Well, that might be because my powers are a bit hard to explain." She let her hands glow yellow. While none of the royal family audibly gasped, she felt a shift in the room. "I'm a healer by nature, you may have seen in my file that I worked in a hospital for some time."

"Your record was quite impressive", the King nodded.

"Thank you. And anyways, that's where SHIELD found me. With them I… I learned about what all I could do. They had a training room built by Stark, to help me use all of my powers, not just the healing ones."

To her surprise, T'Challa laughed, though it was at her expense. "Stark did not make that, Shuri did."

Noelle's eyes popped open as she looked at the small girl beside her. "I.. I'm so sorry, I had no idea." The girl waved her off as if it was no big deal. "Does that mean you have the recordings of my practices?"

Shuri nodded, "Yes! That's why we wanted you. You are absolutely amazing. I watched your training program and you surprised even me." The girl leaned in close. "Which is hard to do, I am very stoic." Noelle giggled at her wit. The girl was clearly advanced above her age.

"Shuri, that is enough for now." T'Chaka's command stopped her from spewing anymore. He rose, as did everyone else. "Ms. Norris, Shuri is correct. We saw your training and it astounded us. I believe a real-life demonstration is in order." With a nod to the guard, the wall Noelle had previously been facing, opposite of the doors, opened to blue sky. _I will never get used to what these people can do._

The group walked out into a courtyard. Racks of weapons lined the square in the center. _A training yard?_ The royal group all went to a box, hovering inches off the ground, but the king motioned Noelle to enter the training square. It was the size of several football fields when combined; so large that Noelle couldn't quite tell where the farthest side ended. The royal box moved from its low position to an even higher position farther away so that they could be out of harm's way, but still see. "Shuri also designed this training field, so it will act just as the smaller SHIELD version."

Noelle watched as Shuri pushed some buttons on a panel. "I've used your old training records to program this session. The machine will test your 5 recorded powers, on close to the same skill level you left on."

A whining noise began. "Welcome, Noelle Norris. Code Name: Aura." The familiar training voice brought Noelle into fight mode. "To begin **Test 1: Sight** , say "Begin."

 _Sight?_ Noelle shrugged, ready for whatever should happen. "Begin", she yelled.

"Mission One: heal the target at 100 yards." As the voice ended, an aura that wasn't quite an aura appeared in her mind's eye. She could see the person, though they were far away. She noted that it's arm was bright red, probably broken. She concentrated for a moment as the royals watched the target on the screen. "Mission Complete. Mission 2: heal the target from 300 yards."

Again, another aura appeared, though Noelle could only barely see it so far away. The heat shimmering off the ground didn't help. Thankfully, her powers saw him clearly. She grimaced when she saw that the aura was covered in a rainbow of colors. The person lay on the ground and began to fade. _He's dying!_ She quickly sent her healing energy into him, allowing her sight's instinct to send it where it should go. After a few minutes, the man stood and turned from orange to a healthy yellow. The only spot left was a small spot in his brain, which she didn't touch. Apparently, it was enough to count.

"Mission Complete. Next Mission, Training Power 2: Body Modification. To begin, say "Begin".

"Begin." As the last of the word left her mouth, clamps locked around her feet. They seemed to be made of a black, kinetic sand she had seen in some spots around the training floor. "What's this?" She yelled to Shuri.

"Change yourself to survive!" The inventor yelled back. _Thanks a lot._

Noelle focused on her legs, wondering which route was best to go to escape the trap. A loud _clank_ sounded farther down the field. A brick wall appeared from the ground. "Uh, what?" She didn't have to wait long to find out. The wall began barreling towards her. _Shit shit shit shit._ She tried to tug her legs free, but they were held fast. The wall was coming too fast for her to carefully remove her legs. As it neared within feet, instinct took over. She held her arms up over her face as the bricks smashed around her. She turned slowly to find a Noelle-shaped hole in the faux wall.

"What did you do?" Shuri stared at her.

Noelle tapped herself on the arm and a crunching sound rang out. "I turned myself into stone." This brought small murmurs from the group.

"Mission Completed."

The next missions continued on, asking her to change her hair or her facial features. The next set of tests simply had her throw different balls of energy at targets. While they were easily done, her energy level was fading quickly. The next mission saved her, as she was asked to draw energy from the different targets it gave her. Instead of releasing it when she was done, she used it to restock her own supply. It helped, though her fibro brain began to kick in. Overall, she could definitely tell her powers had grown during her down time.

"Mission Completed. **Final** **Test: Fighting**. Mission One: defeat the opponents." Noelle cringed. She didn't mind showing them her helpful powers, but the idea that they would see the monster she could be scared her. _What if they think I'm too dangerous?_ She tried to shake the thought from her head. "To begin, say "Begin".

Noelle looked up at the viewing box. All eyes were on her. Shuri gave her a small "go on" nod. Taking a deep breath, she positioned herself in a ready stance. "Begin." Her first training had begun with only one man at a time, so Noelle expected only a few enemies. When a group of 30 surrounded her, she nearly squeaked. They all began to pounce at her, so she quickly snapped their necks. The deafening crunch made her vomit in her mouth.

"Mission Complete. **Next Mission: defeat the enemy.** " Noelle braced herself for even more men, but none appeared. Several feet away, a familiar face greeted her.

"Natasha?" The woman's face scowled back and she ran. Not towards Noelle. Towards the royal family. "Natasha, what are you doing?!" The agent jumped in the air, knife in hand. Noelle knew if she reached them they would all be goners. _I can't kill my friend!_ T'Challa stood, ready to defend his family. Noelle couldn't look. She turned away and pulled the energy from her friend, leaving her unconscious.

"Mission: Complete. End Training." Natasha's body faded away. _I.. I forgot it was a mission. Stupid stupid._

The viewing box descended and the family approached her. "Well done! I am very impressed." T'Chaka looked where Natasha's body had been. "You have proved that you will make the right decision, even if it means using your powers on those you love. You saved us, and in turn have proven yourself loyal to our service." He gave a small frown, "Although next time, maybe don't let her get so close."

Noelle nodded in agreement, still trying to sort out her feelings. The royals all turned and began to walk back inside. Noelle followed quietly, lost in thought. She was glad to have proven herself, but a new question arose. _Who am I loyal to now?_


	17. HH 2 Chap 4

**Chapter 4**

Weeks passed as Noelle settled into her new role. King T'Chaka requested that she stand in his court with the _Taifa Ngao_ , his council of tribal leaders. There were 18 in all, and it was her job to protect them from disgruntled citizens. She felt like more of a chess piece, a pawn, because the Wakandan guards beat her to every disruption. The few that there were. Day after day she sat and watched, wondering whether she was a captive or guest. She had also heard nothing of Wisp, and was beginning to wonder if she was even in the right spot. All these doubts washed over her constantly.

A benefit of her time was that she was a witness to T'Chaka's boundless wisdom and grace. The people of Wakanda did not visit with simple problems. Instead, they presented him with inventions, ideas, and gifts. It was his responsibility, along with the council, to determine their greatest use. Noelle was continually astounded as his problem solving. She was glad that her tiara translated for her, but even then, their problems sometimes escaped her understanding. Today's guests hadn't been as troubling.

"Mgunya, I'm not sure how your invention will help us." T'Chaka stood, leaning over a small metal plate.

"My king," the inventor began. "Watch and you will see." The man clicked the top of the plate and it rose in the air. A tribal member, _Fayra?,_ stood nearby. The plate hovered towards him. Mgunya snapped and the plate flew at the tribal leaders body. Before Farya could react, it had wrapped around him. His body became covered in metal. Then man tried not to panic. After only mere seconds, the plate squished back into itself. Farya was left standing with completely clean clothes, and on closer inspection his whole body was clean. Mgunya looked pleased with himself as his invention docked back in front of him. "My King, my Council, our city is made for all to have success equally. However, some of our neighbors in nearby lands do not have the same rights. My machine could clean each member a day, for only half a Wakandan dollar. If we sent these to the poorest areas, it would offer them better health and life ."

The King nodded in thought. Noelle watched his face and then turned to Hunter, the rude white man from before. She had only seen him during these meetings, but it was long enough to learn all she needed to know. A council member had whispered to her once that he had been found as a baby, and adopted as the King's first son. Once T'Challa was born, Hunter had tried to prove that he was no outsider. The King appointed him to run the secret police Hatut Zeraze, or Dogs of War, and nicknamed him "The White Wolf". It was obvious to most that his attempts to prove himself seemed to further alienate him. Yet, Noelle watched him do it day after day. Especially because it was mostly directed at her.

Noelle watched as anger spread across the White Wolf's face. The longer the King looked at the invention, the more furious he became. Finally, T'Chaka spoke. "T,Challa what do you think?" Noelle's head swiveled to find the prince in question. She had discovered early on that he rarely attended council meetings. "He hates politics", was T'Chaka's only explanation. But today, they had been graced by his presence.

The young man casually removed himself from the shadows. He picked up the plate and turned it over. "I believe that we should help our neighbors. The fighting has grown recently, maybe this will ease things for a time. Though we must do it anonymously." Some of the crowd nodded in agreement with his decision, though many scowled. Noelle was surprised that the Wakandans didn't readily help outsiders, even though she understood why they didn't invite others in. But with all their tech, the good they could do astounded her.

Clearly, Hunter felt differently. "You must be joking, _brother,"_ the words could have burned his tongue as they left his mouth, they were so bitter. "These people hate each other, they kill each other. Mothers and babies killed by husbands and brothers. They do not deserve our help."

The two men stared each other down. Noelle stood quietly, preparing herself to protect the prince. T'Chaka broke the tension before a fight could. "Now, my sons, let us not forget that we too may need help one day. I believe T'Challa is right. We shall send Mgunya's invention."

The King turned to the inventor to discuss the payment, clearly intending for the boys to separate. They glared for a moment longer, before T'Challa excused himself hurriedly. As he left, T'Chaka called after him. "T'Challa, meet me in my office later." T'Challa didn't register that he heard, but Noelle assumed he did. She watched his aura as it walked out of sight. Hunter soon did the same, in the opposite direction.

The clock chimed and everyone prepared to leave. Noelle's job was to hang back and follow T'Chaka out, though not obviously. Most members of the council and public had been told she was simply a delegate to the state, not a super. Noelle was fine with that, she got enough stares as it was.

T'Chaka left through the massive doorway and she fell in with the crowd leaving. Instead of trying to watch him above people inches taller than her, she surveyed both him and his surroundings with her mind's eye. He took a hallway alone, and she followed. He was waiting near a door for her. "Come, _UMkhuseli,_ I have something to show you."

Noelle followed him into a room filled with computers. _Computers being a loose term._ They were Wakandan, so more advanced than what Noelle now considered to be SHIELDs small system. She was surprised they were alone. Even though she had been hired as his special guard, he was still usually accompanied by two or three Dora Milaje. _What's so important we need to be alone?_ She trusted the man, but not so much as to completely let her guard down.

He walked to one of the computers and placed his hand on the screen. Instantly, a file popped up. He grabbed the pixelated thing as if it were real and opened it. A piece of paper, made from a projection, was handed to her. In bold letters, **BLACK PANTHER** was written on the top. "Ms. Norris, what I am about to share with you is my nation's greatest secret. We hold it dear above all else. I trust that you understand the weight of that." Noelle simply nodded. "Good, then let us talk." An image of a man in a black, cat-like suit appeared on her "paper".

"My people, _our_ people, have long worshiped the great Panther God, who granted my ancestors the abilities of the Black Panther. Each ruler is not only the king of the nation, but the protector of it."

Noelle stared at the old man, flashing back to when he caught her mid-fall. "Does that mean you are the Black Panther?"

The only man smiled and clicked a button on one of his many bracelets. The same cat-like helmet from the picture appeared on his head. Noelle stared at him. "Woah."

He clicked the button again and he returned to normal. "Woah indeed, my friend. But I am getting old. Much too old for this. That is why I need your help." He clicked a button and all the file papers disappeared. He leaned on the desk behind him, suddenly weary. "I have trained my son from his very beginnings to be my successor. He is my equal in every way now, if not better. He is still young though, and does not know himself. But it is time for his journey to begin. He must now begin the path to becoming the Black Panther, so he can become King when I am gone."

Noelle scanned the man's aura and found nothing wrong. He was healthier than any old man she had ever seen. "But my King, you are so healthy?"

He nodded and looked at her somberly, "You are right. But I have felt the way the world is turning. My time will come soon." The finality in his voice stopped her from arguing.

"How does all of this involve me?"

"The quest to become the Black Panther is a long one. The successor must fight the champion of each tribe. Some tribes that honor the successor will not send a champion. Some, like those of the Wolf tribe, who oppose the Panther lineage, will seek to end my family's claim to the title. Only after a successor has beaten all the champions will he be allowed to become the Panther. He will eventually have to do the same, but for the title of King. In order to show the people that T'Challa will be a respectable leader, he must travel to our 4 tribes and convince them of his worth. Once they have accepted him, he will choose the new members of his own Dora Milaj from their warrior journey is a dangerous one. I want you to travel with him. This is why I invited you to Wakanda. T'Challa does not know this, and you may never tell him."

He eyed her and she nodded, "Yes, my King." She said it in his native tongue, one of the few phrases she had learned, so that he knew she understood.

He continued. "You may never interfere with his fights, for he will be disqualified, but.. I want you to keep him alive. He is my son. I would rather have a son than a new Panther."

Noelle looked as unsure as she felt. "He.. doesn't seem to like me much. I don't think he'll like me tagging along on his quest. Especially as a foreigner."

T'Chaka nodded and smiled, "I believe we can change his mind." Noelle didn't like the mischief she saw in his eyes.

—

Noelle sat in her room and stared at the piles of clothes around her. Part of her welcoming gift had been a whole closet full of Wakandan dress. She still always wore her tiara and collar for her bodysuit, just in case, but it was worn over more relaxed day clothes. Which is what made today so hard.

"Shuri, I have no idea what your father meant." The two had become fast friends, especially with Noelle needing help understanding the clothes and culture. "All of these clothes are new! What did he mean by "wear your new outfit?"

The girl on the other end of her headset giggled. She had tinkered with her tiara so they could communicate. Jarvis had loved meeting the genius and had begged to tell Stark of her prowess. "Have peace, my friend. I'm bringing it to you now." The other line disconnected.

Noelle felt relief, but worried as to what she was up to. Her impatience again got ahold of her, so she sought out Shuri's aura. She found it some hallways away, walking towards her room. Noelle sighed at the slow pace she was walking. Her eyes lit as she thought of how to get her to hurry. She focused on the aura, and within seconds she had broken into a sprint. Noelle sat on her bed and pretended to read. The door burst open and her friend screamed at her, "Noelle, I know it was you!" She dropped the box she was holding and ran to the bathroom. Noelle heard her relieve herself and giggled.

When the victim re-emerged, Noelle gave her an innocent look. "What, how is it my fault you had to pee?" A glare was all she got in return, with a few mutterings of "impatient ass" under the breath. Shuri scooped up the box she had been carrying and dropped it in her lap.

"While you were busy playing pranks, I made you a new outfit. Well, not new. _Improved_."

Noelle cocked an eyebrow at her. "Really, I didn't take you as a big dress maker?" Shuri punched her in the arm.

"Open it, before I open it for you." They both laughed at how terrible she was at threats.

Noelle opened it and stood, finding her collar that Stark had given her. "Shuri. This is my old suit."

The girl giggled and put it around Noelle's neck. "Go on! If you are so impatient, push the button.

Noelle did as she was told and her old suit cascaded down over her current clothes, minus the gauzy dress. She looked in the mirror and cocked an eyebrow. "Okay, what gives?"

"If you push the other button, the dress will unfold. This one is for fighting. Go ahead, pretend like you are going to heal me." Noelle shook her head but did as she was told. As her hands began to glow yellow, she was shocked to find that the tribal designs on her suit glowed where they were close to her hands. "Now," Shuri commanded, "put your energy into the suit." Noelle touched it and felt the suit begin to absorb her energy. She continued to press until all the tribal symbols were bright yellow. "See, you can store energy when you have extra and your suit will save it for a fight."

Noelle stared at her. "You know, i'm not sure how such a small body carries around such a big brain." She said it as a joke, but meant it. _She really is a genius._

Shuri's eyes lit up. "Oh but my friend, you haven't even seen all of it. Push the third button." Noelle reached up to her neck and found the next button over. She could feel that it had 3 raised bumps, done so she could tell which button she was pushing. At its _click,_ her suit seemed to turn inside out, tile by tile, until she was left in a completely different outfit. It reminded her of the tunic that the King's closest soldiers, his Dora Milaj, wore. It was detailed with reds, purples, and yellows, just like the energy that she used. The tribal patterns seemed to dance across the fabric. A pair of legging-like pants with attached boots, etched with the same designs, appeared in place of her body suits' pants. "Shuri, it's so pretty! But again, I don't think you made it just for fun."

Shuri placed two golden wrist cuffs over her arms and locked them on. "Your outfit is made to look like a _beloved one,_ a Dora Milaj. They are the protectors of the Black Panther. Their suits and yours are identical, except yours is black and theirs are red. My father says that you will still be undercover as an honored guest while you go, but the Dora Milaj must also respect your place with them. Plus, I added some things. Shuri pushed an invisible button on the left cuff and more buttons appeared. "The suit is solar powered and absorbs its energy with yours, so you can have extra during a fight. It also has a small gun, for just in case." She pushed the button and the gun popped out from her right wrist cuff, shooting an accidental bullet into the floor.

The two girls stared at the charred spot. "Um, maybe do not press that unless you are ready." Noelle laughed but silently vowed to never touch that button. "Finally, I made you a homing beacon. If you are ever in trouble, my brother and I will both be sent your location."

Noelle smiled. The idea that Shuri cared for her just as Stark did when designing her suits brought her close to tears. She had tried to block out the idea of her Avengers, it was too painful. Now, she let them in, if only for a second. "Thank you, thank you so much."

Shuri looked at her unfallen tears. "It is just a suit."

Noelle laughed and wiped away any emotions. "You're right, I'm sorry. You just remind me of someone."

Now it was Shuri's turn to look disturbed. "Do you miss them? Your friends?"

Noelle shook her head, "Yes and no. I came here because they needed me to. There's still work to do here. It helps me not miss them so much. Plus I have you which is kind of ok I guess."

She tried to act nonchalant, but Shuri beamed. The small girl began to dance around her mockingly. "You love me, you love me. You like being my friend!" Noelle rolled her eyes and made her have to pee again.

Her face immediately fell into a snarl. "Not funny," she said as she ran to the bathroom. Noelle couldn't lie, she really did like being her friend. She just wasn't going to tell her that.

 ***** side note for this chapter: I read that Wakandan language is based off of Xhosa. I'm simply using Google Translate to make my words and nicknames, like Noelle being UMkhuseli. While her ear piece translates it for her, I chose to leave some of it untranslated in my writing. If you ever wonder what any of them mean, feel free to type them in!**


	18. HH2 Chap 5

**Chapter 5**

 **Before I start this chapter, don't forget that if you have questions or comments.. pm me! I have a few reviews I can't reply to because they were done by guests. So message me so we can talk! Also… prepare yourself. I have a surprise :)**

Noelle stood in the middle of the council room. It was empty now, save for herself, King T'Chaka, and some of the king's Dora Milaj. Noelle wore her new Dora Milaj-esque suit as the King had commanded. While she still didn't like surprises, that one had turned out okay. She smiled to herself as she caught a reflection of herself in the glass. She still looked very much like an outsider, but Shuri and T'Chaka had done their best to let others know she was now one of them. Most of the Dora Milaj had also accepted her, thanks to the commands of their leader. They were part of the handful of Wakandans who knew her true powers and reason for being there.

She was brought out of her stupor when she sensed T'Challa's aura coming down the nearby corridor. She nodded to the King, who sat on the throne. The doors opened moments later and the young prince strode in. He made the symbol of greeting to his father by crossing both arms across his chest. The King returned it. "Baba, why have you asked for me? Surely it is not so I can see how intimidating you look on that throne." He said it with a teasing air, and it made T'Chaka smile.

"No, I figured you are tired of seeing me here." He winked at his son, and then stood. "Which is why, I believe it is time for you to begin your _Uhambo_. Your journey to being the Black Panther."

T'Challa smiled, but was clearly concerned. "Ah, Father, surely it is not time. You are still so young." Even Noelle could hear the denial, stronger even than hers when she had talked with the King earlier that day.

T'Chaka shook his head. "My son, these wrinkles on my face are not easily hidden. And you are 21 now. It is your time to take the mask." He continued before his son could argue. " I am sending you to the tribes to begin your quest." He turned and gestured to Noelle, who tried not to blush as every eye turned to her. "I am sending Noelle with you. She is _uthembek,_ she is trusted." T'Chaka gave a small laugh, "and, she will be good company."

T'Challa stared her down and she bowed, unsure what to say. Her mouth decided before her brain could stop it. "My prince, I am honored to serve you, with both my powers and great sense of humor." _WHO LET ME TALK. WHY AM I SAYING WORDS._ She could have kicked herself at not simply stopping at "I am honored."

T'Chaka turned to his son and gave a "See, I told you" grin, but T'Challa's face remained passive. "Thank you, Father, but would it be wise to bring a foreigner with me."

The King turned and walked to Noelle. "Ah, but she is no longer a foreigner. As of today, I name her your first Dora Milaj." Noelle knew even from her short time in Wakanda that the king was toying with boundaries. She dared not question him, but the outrage that would follow was easily pictured in her mind. Even the king's own Dora shifted slightly at the command. But a command it was.

T'Challa felt the authority in his father's voice but still could not help but voice his offense. "But how are we to be sure she is trusted?" It was the most passive way of arguing, but it got its point across.

The King smiled at Noelle as he walked back to his throne and sat. She knew that whatever he had up his sleeve, they were about to find out. She sensed someone walking down the corridor towards them. "How about we ask someone who would know?" The king gestured to the guards at the door and they pulled it open. A man stepped through and smiled at the king, firmly avoiding Noelle. And she knew why he would avoid her. The last time she had seen him had been in New York. He wore a cloak that indicated he was a part of the border tribe, and when he spoke his accent was Wakandan. But she'd know him anywhere. _Bryce._

He strode towards the king and bowed, then made the Wakandan sign for greeting, just as T'Challa had done. "My king, it is so good to see you again." He bowed to T'Challa. "My prince."

The two young men looked at each other with stone faces, which soon broke into big smiles. T'Challa grabbed Bryce into a hug. "M'Khosi, brother, welcome back." The two laughed like old friends. Noelle could have ripped Bryce's, no, _M'Khosi's,_ eyes out. She stared at him, furious.

"M'Khosi, do you have the report I asked for?" The king called, commanding everyone's attention. Everyone except Noelle, who still glared at the liar who refused to look at her.

"Yes my king." He stood at attention, facing both of his rulers. "As my king requested, I was sent as a spy to a rising risk of security: the American organization known as SHIELD." As he talked, Noelle could feel tears welling and forced them down. "I spent two years there, reporting anything of suspicion, waiting for the true target of our interest. When she finally arrived, I monitored her. I found her to be a great leader, team member, protector, and.." he finally met her eyes for the first time. "And friend." He turned back to T'Chaka. "I am proud to have her as a fellow Wakandan, and would gladly put my own reputation on the line in support of her character. Wakanda forever." He crossed his arms and knelt again, this time towards her.

Noelle looked to her prince. It was all she could do to keep from attacking her old _friend_. His kind words did nothing to quell her anger. T'Challa stared at her and then nodded. "Very well. If she is as you both say, I will accept her as my first Dora Milaj."

Noelle forced herself on to her knee, having to blank her mind. She entered soldier mode, allowing nothing to cross her face. "Wakanda forever, my prince." She rose and they both made the sign at each other.

"We leave tomorrow." And with that, the prince departed.

T'Chaka stood and smiled at her. "I believe you two might need a moment." She bowed and the king left, taking all the bodies in the room with him that she didn't want to kill. Leaving her with one that she did. The doors closed with a bang and they stood in silence.

After several long seconds, he finally broke. "Noelle, talk to me."

She stared at him, her mind rushing. _What do I even say?_ So many thoughts popped up, but none seemed to fit. Finally, her voice cracking, she found the most simple. "Why?" He stared at her, and she saw in his eyes that he felt no remorse for doing his duty. "Right, sorry, Wakanda forever." She said it bitterly.

"I meant everything I said. Both as Bryce and now. You are one of the most amazing people I've ever met. None of what I did was fake."

"I don't know what to think," she started. "You lied." She felt the tears coming and decided that above all else, she would not let this hurtful boy see her cry. She gave a slight nod and walked stiffly out of the room. She focused so hard on not crying that she barely heard him call out to her. She didn't look back.

 **WELL I figured out how to bring Bryce, I mean M'Khosi, back! I actually had forgotten I wrote it in to his perspective, so I didn't have to change anything. Tell me what you think!**


	19. Update

**Hello friends! Just wanted to let you know I haven't forgotten to update, but life is hectic. SO I will promise to use this Spring break to try to catch up. In the mean time, I'd love comments about what you think of the M'Khosi arrival! Or just, you know, anything. Please talk to me. I crave attention. Thanks again for reading :)**


	20. HH2 Chap 6

**Chapter 6**

Noelle stared at her reflection in the elevator glass. While her own appearance hadn't changed a bit, her clothes and demeanor belonged to someone entirely new. She didn't have the formal training of a true Dora, but she was determined to mimic their stone faced aggression. She made it her new mission to speak as little as possible, and in turn she hoped to seem more like a guard. But even she could see that it wasn't her natural behavior. _Guess I'll never shed my baby bunny look._

The doors opened and she walked out on to the platform. Dozens of aircraft whirred about. She walked towards the group of royal members nearby. She noted that the white man, who she now knew was Hunter, was included in this event. Shuri saw her approach and ran towards her. "So, I heard we have a new Dora milaje. Show me your skills, oh mighty warrior." Noelle cocked an eyebrow at the girl and tried not to laugh. _I didn't realize my new stone face would be tested so quickly._

"As you wish, my princess." With a big sweeping bow, Noelle dipped her head. When she rose again, Shuri's eyes grew wide with surprise and she laughed loudly.

"That does not make you look Dora, that makes you look like a rhino!" Noelle smiled over her recently too-wide nose and grinned with her extra large mouth. This sent the small girl into even more peals of laughter. With a small head shake, Noelle commanded her face back to normal.

Shuri grabbed her arm and hauled her towards her family. In the moments before they reached them, she leaned in and whispered, "Guard my brother with your life." Noelle gave a slight nod, and then they were too close to the group to respond. It was the first time Shuri had ever been serious with her and she could feel the passion in the command. It made her realize how much faith the royal family, and the nation, were really putting in her.

Queen Ramonda turned to the girls. Her eyes lit up at the sight of her daughter, and she allowed that same excitement to carry over to Noelle. "Ah, and here is our ambassador now. Or should I call you our Dora milaje?"

Noelle smiled and her cheeks went red. The queen had hardly addressed her in her weeks of living as a Wakandan, and her very presence made Noelle nervous. The woman was royal in every way, and Noelle wanted to be good enough for her.

"My Queen, you may call me whatever you wish, as long as you know your son's safety is my top priority." The queen smiled and the two women locked eyes, just for a moment: one conveyed her sincerity and the other making sure her concerns were clear.

T'Chaka broke the bond. "Well, you can not protect him from here can you. The only thing trying to hurt him here is his sister if he doesn't come back safely." The older man laughed and it sent Noelle in to giggles. She was mad at herself for breaking her stone faced farce, but it was immediately brought back as M'Khosi stepped out from behind the plane. T'Chaka noticed her change in demeanor and turned around. "Ah, M'Khosi! Glad you are here. Now everyone that is going has arrived, we will wish you a safe trip." He looked at his son and Noelle thought he might cry. "Wakanda forever, my son." The two men crossed their arms and then hugged. Both mother and sister followed, each one clearly imparting every ounce of love they could.

To her surprise, the royal family then turned to Hunter, who had approached from behind her. They gave him the same departing hugs, though less intense. "My son, keep your brother safe." Hunter nodded at his father and walked in to the plane. T'Challa followed, with M'Khosi and Noelle behind them. Noelle made a effort to hide every emotion from the men. _Especially the traitor._

As she buckled in to her ride, Hunter took the driver position and T'Challa sat at the captain's chair. M'Khosi tried to sit next to her, but a glare from her sent him to the seats opposite her. _Good._ But it wasn't good. She knew in her heart that she would have done the same thing in his position. She didn't _really_ blame him. But that didn't mean she liked being lied to.

She felt a small shift in gravity and the crew took off. She planned to sit in silence, but T'Challa called to her. "So Noelle, what do you know of our tribes?"

Noelle couldn't decide if he was genuinely curious or if he was testing her. "Not much." She said with a shrug. "Just what I've learned from my time in court. There are 5 tribes: Border, Merchant, River, Mining, and the Jubari. But the Jubari keep to themselves. The Merchant tribe is mainly located at your father's city and spread out from there. The Border tribe is our protector from the outside. The Mining tribe lives in the surrounding mountains and mines the vibranium. And the River tribes protect the waterways."

T'Challa nodded, not letting on whether her answer suited him. "And if you were to start a journey to be a champion for your people, which tribe would you first begin with?" _Ah, this one is the test._

She thought about it for a few moments. "I suppose I would start with the Border tribe and then travel back inward to the capital. Makes the most logical sense and would make sure no tribe felt more or less important by being visited first." He was staring at her and she lost some of her confidence. "At least, that's what I would do."

Her prince turned to M'Khosi. "And what do you think?"

The familiar face, still so set in granite but not quite as stern, responded. "I think it is a good plan, though I have a feeling she chose that path just to rid herself of me faster." He smirked at her, clearly trying to tease her out of her shell.

She didn't play along. "He's right." Both men glanced at each other and chuckled. _Well, at least they're laughing._

The ride to the border only took an hour thanks to the ridiculously fast Wakandan aircraft. Like most Wakandan things, she called it a "plane" because that's what it most closely resembled from the outside world. But it was just as big an injustice as calling the Wakandan technology "computers". The plane was designed to look like a sleek drone, with nearly cat-like features. The inside was driven by using Kimoyo beads and an outstretched arm. No steering wheel. No buttons. Just beads. _Insane._

Noelle could sense many auras outside the plane and prepared herself for an onslaught. She doubted that it was often a prince visited the border tribe. A small shift and the plane was still. She unbuckled and rose, suddenly realizing none of the others had used the seat belts. She blushed slightly, realizing that had a fight broken out she would have been the last one prepared. _Good job, you're officially Wakanda's first least-strategic Dora._ She made a mental note to be more aware of her surroundings with her real eyes, not just her internal one.

The door dropped to the ground and T'Challa walked out, followed closely by Hunter and M'Khosi. Noelle dropped behind slightly, becoming hyper aware of both the auras around them and the people she could see. There were about 3 dozen Border tribesmen gathered around the new arrivals, and she could sense several more meandering around the nearby village. To an outsider, or a Noelle from a few months ago, it would have looked like a small, quaint African setting. What she now knew was that only a hundred yards behind them was an invisible force field protecting the richest city from the eyes of the world. Being back out in the "real world" reminded her how important her secrecy was.

The men of the Border tribe were also great secret keepers. Though they wore simplistic clothes, they all had a blue cloak. While it looked like regular material, Noelle knew that the cloaks were harboring weapon technology more advanced than even the plane she had just arrived on. Nothing about Wakanda was as it seems. Including her.

After finishing her overview of the nearby auras and finding no hints of danger, she brought her attention back to her small party. All three men had been greeted warmly by the waiting villagers. One in particular clung to T'Challa.

"My, what an old man you've become!" The newcomer said.

T'Challa laughed and rubbed the other's bald head. "I don't feel that you have room to talk, W'Kabi. Last I saw you, you had hair to your shoulders!"

"I was undercover! You know the women couldn't handle me if I had hair. The other men would get jealous if I didn't cut it."

"Yes, but we are all still jealous. You still somehow ended up with the best fighter in the village." M'Khosi clearly knew this W'Kabi as well, enough to also pick on him. Noelle was still surprised to see the man she had once thought she knew be so friendly. She remembered their first time meeting and mentally smirked at his stone face. Even though she had liked him as Bryce, and didn't like being lied to, she still liked this version better. It was nice to see him laugh. _I can't ever tell him that though._

"Ah yes, the woman in question is very anxious to know how your quest for your own Dora milaje is going." W'Kabi was a smart man. Clearly this woman had big visions and had asked him to pass along the message. It wasn't lost on her how his eyes flicked to her for a moment as he said it. The news of her promotion would have spread far and wide in just the day since, and she knew many would have negative ideas about it. _Hell, even_ I _have a bad feeling about it._

"Well then, let's not keep her waiting." T'Challa grabbed W'Kabi by the shoulder and they walked towards the village, a small crowd behind them.

Noelle followed, still lagging slightly behind to watch for danger. M'Khosi took the opportunity to whisper in her ear. "Okoye is the greatest warrior in this village. It would be wise to find yourself on her good side." Noelle nodded slightly so that others would question if he had said anything at all. She still wanted to punch him, but advice was still something she needed and she took it to heart.

When they got to the village, most of the the crowd peeled off to do various work. Only her three men and W'Kabi entered in to a small hut. Or at least, it looked small. Once she stepped inside, it seemed that she was walking in to a grand hall. She took a small step back out to look at the tiny tent, walked back in, and shook her head. She would never get over Wakanda.

A woman turned to greet them and Noelle slightly sucked in her breath. She was gorgeous, and anyone could see that she was built to kill. Her head was bald like W'Kabi's and she had piercings filling up both ears. "Hello; my prince." She smiled at T'Challa and gave him the sign of greeting.

He smiled big and returned it. "And how is the greatest warrior in Wakanda doing?"

She smirked and shoved him. "Shut up. I know you're just trying to butter me up before the council asks me to fight you."

He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Is it working?"

She purposefully ignored him. "Hunter, welcome again. And M'Khosi, so nice to have you back." He nodded at her, but if he planned to respond she beat him to it. "And this must be the newest Dora Milaje I've heard about."

Noelle blushed. "Well, newest does not mean best. I'm sure if someone as skilled as you joined I would quickly become an accessory." She looked the woman in the eyes and tried to convey her meaning, wanting her to understand she was aware of her inferiority.

Okoye gave her a once over with a stern face, and then a smile spread across it. "Oh T'Challa, I think I like her." She grabbed Noelle around the shoulders and the five of them walked out into the sunlight. Noelle allowed herself a small sigh of relief.

"The elders are waiting for us in the village center. They asked that we meet them as soon as you arrived." Okoye looked over to Noelle. "I'm sorry to say, but I think they might have plans to discover what kind of Dora Noelle is."

If it was possible to die from anxiety, that sentence would have sent Noelle to the grave. _What could they possibly want with me?_

She didn't have to wait long to find out. A huge empty space in the center of the village had been filled with bodies. Noelle guessed everyone from the village was there. In the center were 4 women with blue capes, and a 5th middle woman wearing a headdress, a small version of the Queen's crown. As T'Challa entered, the crowd became hushed. Noelle was surprised that they weren't cheering, until she noticed all the eyes were on her. SHE was the reason she was quiet. "Mortified" didn't cover how she felt.

One of the 5 women stepped forward and held up her hands. "My tribe, today is a glorious day! Not only do we welcome back our long lost brother M'Khosi, but we also help Prince TChalla begin his journey to becoming the Black Panther. To speak for us today is our fearless leader, O'Keala, Sister to the Queen and leader of our hearts."

A resounding cheer came from the crowd and the crowned woman stepped forward. Noelle probably could have guessed that she was the Queen's sister, they were nearly identical. The woman raised her arm and the crowd was silent once again. "T'Challa, it is our duty as the border tribe to protect Wakanda from outsiders. We declare as a tribe that you would be a benefit to us as the Black Panther, and offer any of our women to you for your Dora Milaje. We offer no contest to your journey." Okoye had moved to stand by the woman, as she as clearly the champion in mind, and bowed to the prince. Noelle sighed, glad that she wouldn't have to protect. T'Challa opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off. "But," Noelle could hear how big of a "but" this was about to be, "we wonder about your current choice of _protection."_

Normally, Noelle wondered if malice or judgement was aimed at her. This time she had no question. The woman stared directly at her. _Shit._ "As stated, we are protectors from outsiders, and we wonder as to why you have brought one in to your council."

T'Challa again went to speak, but M'Khosi stepped up before he could. "Mother, now that I am home I can share with you the details of my mission." Noelle, and the rest of the crowd, stared with wide eyes as he recounted his time with SHIELD and discovering her. Again, he spoke of her highly and put himself on the line.

The Chief nodded as he spoke but gave nothing away. When he was done, she looked to the crowd. "Bring her forward." Noelle walked towards the women, trying not to seem too scared. When she was a few feet from the Chief, she stopped. The five women circled around her, looking for God knows what. Finally the stopped and resumed their positions at the front of the crowd. The sun was beginning to set and the large fire nearby cast shadows around them. "What makes her so special, M'Khosi?" His mother was clearly uncertain about her son's potentially misplaced affection.

Noelle felt his eyes on her. "I'm sorry, I can not say. It is not my place."

The Chief looked at her and Noelle sighed. "I will show you, if you'd like?" She phrased it innocently, not certain what kind of reaction to expect. More glares, but then a nod of approval. Noelle took a deep breath in and then walked towards the fire. As she walked, she talked loudly so the crowd could hear. "I think that one of the reasons I was brought to Wakanda is because I understand secrets. What you are all about to witness is my greatest secret, which I have guarded closely. I hope that you will all respect that in the same way that I respect the guardianship of Wakanda." She made eye contact with no one, simply staring into the fire.

Before she could talk herself out of it, she pulled her sleeve up and thrust her hand into the flames. A gasp went up from some of the crowd. Noelle let out a small scream as her flesh was seared. Her mind raced back to Stark Tower and she tried to push the images away. Tears streaming down her face, she pulled her severely burned hand away and held it up for the crowd to see. Even in the minimal lighting it was a disgusting sight. Noelle stared at the crowd as she healed it, watching their faces twist from horror to amazement. "I can not only heal myself, but I can save others. Whether from danger or after they've been hurt. King T'Chaka knows this, and asked me to use my powers for the good of Wakanda. It is my mission. Wakanda forever." She crossed her now healed arms and turned to the Chief.

The woman was obviously the person M'Khosi got his stone face from. She stood still for a moment, thinking. Then, her whole body seemed to cave in to the idea that maybe, just maybe, Noelle was not all bad. "We rescind our objection to both you and T'Challa. Long live the Black Panther, and long live Wakanda!" She said it with such force that a cheer rang out among the people. A celebration broke out and organized chaos began. In the middle of it all, Chief O'Kelea approached Noelle. "Remember what I have done for you today."


End file.
